Hong Myung-bo apologizes for World Cup exit, vows to appear at National Assembly hearing

Former South Korea national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo has apologized to the public for the team's group-stage elimination at the 2026 North America World Cup, and said he will appear before a National Assembly hearing scheduled for July 22.

Hong released a statement titled "A message to the people of Korea" through the Hong Myung-bo Scholarship Foundation on Thursday, saying he "sincerely apologizes to all citizens who have loved and supported Korean football."

"Despite bearing the heavy responsibility of serving as head coach of the national team, I was unable to deliver the results the people expected at the World Cup," Hong said. "All responsibility for that outcome rests with me, the coach."

Hong explained his prolonged silence by saying that after the World Cup ended, "the first thing I had to do was accept the result," adding that he believed the outcome was something he, as coach, had to bear alone.

He then said that "as time passed, things that differed from the facts began to be treated as true, and unverified stories were added on top of that." Seeing players and staff who had dedicated themselves to the team caught up in misunderstanding and speculation, he said, led him to reconsider whether staying silent was truly the right thing to do.

On the controversy surrounding his trip to the United States, Hong said the decision "was not a choice made to avoid or run away from the results."

He said there had been threats against him and his family at the time, along with concerns for their personal safety, and that "as the head of a household, I had to protect my family." He added that he had never intended to turn away from his duties as coach or avoid the people of Korea "for any reason."

Earlier, the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee adopted a plan to hold a hearing on issues related to the Korea Football Association, with the session set for July 22. Hong was designated as a witness.

"If the hearing is held, I believe it is an occasion to explain the World Cup results to the people of Korea — and if so, the person who should stand there is me, the coach," Hong said.

He went on to say that "responsibility for the results rests entirely with me as the coach," and that if the hearing proceeds, "I will bear that responsibility as coach, alone, to the end." He added that he would "speak honestly about everything I know before the people of Korea and will not avoid any question."

Hong closed his statement by apologizing again for the disappointment he caused, saying he would "take every word of criticism and rebuke to heart."