Hong Myung-bo has stepped down as head coach of South Korea following the national team's disappointing group-stage elimination at the FIFA World Cup and sharp criticism from President Lee Jae Myung.

The 57-year-old, who was serving his second spell in charge of the national team, oversaw another early World Cup exit after South Korea failed to progress from a group featuring co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and Czechia. The team suffered 1-0 defeats to both South Africa and Mexico before ending their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czechia, finishing with just three points.

Announcing his resignation, Hong said every decision he made over the past two years was guided by what he believed was best for Korean football.

“Whenever I had to make important decisions, select players or prepare for training sessions and matches, I always asked myself whether it was the right choice for Korean football,” he said. “I can't say every decision was correct, but I made them with the best interests of Korean football in mind.”

His resignation came shortly after President Lee publicly condemned the team's performance, criticizing what he described as incompetence in leadership. In a post on X, Lee apologized to the South Korean public for the disappointing campaign and pledged to reform the country's sports administration to prevent similar failures in the future.

Following the team's return home, South Korean police said they were monitoring security at Incheon Airport and other locations after an online death threat was reportedly made against Hong. Local media reported that authorities are taking precautionary measures while investigating the threat.