Culture minister vows sweeping overhaul of football administration after World Cup group-stage exit

Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said the government will form a committee to investigate the causes of the South Korea national football team's group-stage elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

In a social media post Sunday, Choi said it was time to "sort through the countless discussions we have had and build a fundamental alternative — to find out where things started to go wrong and what was at the root of what held us back."

"Until the day the hearts of the people come together again, the government will step up and take care of everything it can," he added. "Korean football has fallen, but we will surely rise again."

Later Sunday afternoon, Choi posted again, saying he had just received instructions from the president. "We will pursue a sweeping overhaul of football administration across the board with a sense of urgency, with the resolve to spare no effort, so that the hopes and pride of the entire nation can be revived," he wrote. He also said experts would be convened in a committee to thoroughly investigate the causes of "this devastating result," and that those responsible for any incompetence and negligence uncovered in the process would be held strictly accountable.

Choi also said the government would enforce strict administrative guidance to ensure the Korea Football Association is run transparently and fairly by football professionals, and would build a system to enable public oversight and checks.

"We will spare no investment or support to fundamentally reassess and redesign the paradigm of Korean football — from the youth development system to strengthening referee capacity and providing advanced technology infrastructure — using the frustration and pain of this experience as a turning point," he said.

The national team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, finished third in Group A with one win and two losses for three points, failing to secure one of the eight round-of-32 berths awarded to the top third-place finishers across all groups.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which oversees the Korea Football Association, had been scrutinizing the association since 2024.

In July of that year, the ministry launched an audit in connection with controversy surrounding the appointment of Hong as national team head coach, and in November 2024 called for heavy disciplinary action against Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu.

The KFA challenged the ministry's decision in court, seeking to have the disciplinary measure annulled and obtaining a stay of execution. Chung subsequently won a fourth consecutive term as president.

However, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled in April that the ministry's disciplinary demand was justified, finding against the plaintiff. Chung announced last month that he would step down as president after the World Cup.