South Korea president calls for investigation following World Cup exit

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed deep frustration following the national team’s group-stage elimination from the World Cup. The president has formally requested that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism conduct a comprehensive investigation into the South Korean Football Association (KFA).

In a statement, President Lee described himself as "utterly baffled" by the team's performance, highlighting that significant taxpayer funds were invested in the team's tournament participation. He specifically criticized the KFA's appointment process for head coach Hong Myung-bo, alleging that the association failed to prioritize professional competence when selecting the team leader.

This investigation follows previous disputes between the KFA and the sports ministry, which had earlier questioned the transparency of Hong's hiring process. While the KFA denied any misconduct, the president argued that there has been a failure to distinguish between public and private interests in management decisions.

South Korea concluded their tournament campaign with three points from three matches, securing a win against the Czech Republic but falling to co-hosts Mexico and South Africa. The government is now aiming to push through reforms in sports administration to prevent similar outcomes in the future.