Former Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil said, "The biggest enemy of Korea's soccer is the Korea Football Association," adding, "A major transformation is needed to return Korea's soccer to the people." With Korean soccer failing to advance past the World Cup group stage for the first time in eight years, the political world is also reacting.
According to the political sphere on the 28th, the former leader wrote on Facebook the previous day, "I had no choice but to sigh throughout this World Cup match," and stated accordingly.
The former leader said, "This World Cup result was a disaster already foretold since the 2014 Brazil World Cup. The process was not fair from the start," adding, "Coach Hong Myung-bo virtually acknowledged that the legitimacy of the appointment process was damaged. It is hard to expect a future for Korea's soccer from the Korea Football Association, which has no procedure, no accountability, and no reflection."
He continued, "What Korea's soccer needs most right now is not the replacement of a single coach. It is the reform of the Korea Football Association," adding, "The biggest enemy of Korea's soccer is not the opposing team but the cartel, the lack of principles, and the unaccountable Korea Football Association."
The former leader also said, "Chairman Chung Mong-gyu says he will step down after this World Cup ends. But this is not something that can end with a resignation," adding, "Soccer that has lost the people's trust is no longer the people's soccer. Disasters do not repeat by chance. They repeat when a flawed system is left unattended."
Earlier, lawmaker Moon Geum-ju of the same party also wrote on social media right after the match against South Africa on the 25th, "With these good players, is this all you can do?" adding, "Resigning is not enough. Don't loiter around as a soccer coach ever again."
The Korea men's national soccer team led by coach Hong Myung-bo was confirmed eliminated after finishing all Group K matches on the 28th (Korean time) and slipping outside eighth place—the cutoff for the round of 32—in the ranking battle among third-place teams. It is the first time in eight years since the 2018 Russia World Cup that Korean soccer has failed to pass the World Cup group stage.