Ha Seok-ju: 'I wanted to smack Hong Myung-bo — he should have got on his knees and begged forgiveness'

Ha Seok-ju, a former South Korea national team player who now coaches the soccer program at Ajou University, said Tuesday he wanted to "smack" his junior Hong Myung-bo over the attitude controversy that erupted immediately after South Korea's group-stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

Appearing as a panelist on MBC's current-affairs program "100-Minute Debate" on Tuesday, Ha said he could not understand why the Korea Football Association had handled things in a way that brought shame on the entire soccer community. "I am so sorry and embarrassed that I can barely show my face before the public," he said.

He then turned his criticism directly on Hong. "Hong Myung-bo is my junior, but the way he conducted himself during interviews and in various other situations — honestly, as his sunbae, I wanted to smack him. What he did was simply wrong," Ha said.

He went on to say he kept wondering whether anyone had been around to help Hong handle the media properly, given the wide public interest. "It is very easy to destroy a person's reputation," he added, expressing frustration at what he described as the Korea Football Association's inadequate response.

Ha also drew on his own experience at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. In the group-stage opener against Mexico, he scored South Korea's first-ever lead goal at a World Cup with a free kick in the 27th minute, only to be sent off three minutes later for a rough tackle. South Korea went on to lose 1-3, and Ha bore much of the blame.

"Even after getting sent off like that — even when people were saying I'd be killed when I came home — I was still sorry to coach Cha Bum-kun and sorry to the public," Ha said. "If Hong had truly got down on his knees and begged forgiveness when he returned, none of this would have happened," he added.

Ha said that while the comeback win over the Czech Republic had lifted spirits, Hong's resignation after two consecutive defeats was a responsibility the coach had to accept. "He should take the criticism that is due, and then everyone needs to pull together so Korean soccer can get back on its feet," he said.

On criticism that the Korea Football Association's administration has lacked transparency in the eyes of fans, Ha acknowledged that "things have probably changed a lot by now," but stressed that "because the public can see it that way, the association should have responded clearly and unambiguously."

Ha represented South Korea at two World Cups — in 1994 and 1998 — and has also served as a vice president of the Korea Football Association.

Meanwhile, Hong left for Los Angeles — where his family lives — shortly after South Korea's group-stage exit on July 2. He returned to South Korea last week to attend a hearing called by the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee.

The committee is set to hold a hearing on the Korea Football Association on Thursday, examining the process by which Hong was appointed, the reasons behind the team's poor World Cup performance, questions of responsibility over match management, and the circumstances of his departure to the United States. Fifteen witnesses have been summoned, including Hong and former Korea Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu. Eight reference witnesses have also been designated, among them Park Ji-sung, co-chair of the K-Football Innovation Committee, and Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee.

Hong took charge of the national team in July 2024 and faced fierce criticism from the moment of his appointment over questions about the legitimacy of the selection process. After South Korea's group-stage elimination was confirmed, he held a press conference at the venue but read out a brief statement without taking questions from reporters, then left — and footage of him walking out with his hands in his trouser pockets drew further public backlash.

The Korea Football Association skipped the traditional airport homecoming event for the national team for the first time since the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Hong left the arrivals hall without responding to reporters' questions, including whether he had anything to say to fans.