According to Yonhap, the South Korean team was eliminated in the group stage of this World Cup, which caused strong dissatisfaction among the local population. The call for reforms in the football industry is growing louder. On July 3rd, local time, the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the establishment of a new agency to promote football reforms.
This new organization is named the "South Korean Football Innovation Committee". It is chaired by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hyun-young, and former South Korean national team captain and FIFA committee member Park Ji-sung. The committee also includes well-known South Korean sports commentators, the president of the Korea Sports Association, executive directors of the South Korean Football Federation, and professors from the Law School of Pukyong University, among other relevant sports figures and professionals.
According to reports, leveraging this World Cup to spark discussions on football reform across society, the committee will conduct discussions around core issues aimed at enhancing South Korea’s future competitiveness in football. The topics include reforms in South Korea’s football governance system, the development of young players, and the introduction of advanced technology systems.
Park Ji-sung said: 'With the help of this Innovation Committee, we will gather various long-standing challenges in the football world at the forefront, and jointly plan the future development path of Korean football, creating a long-term blueprint for the sustainable development of Korean football.'
This World Cup saw an expansion of the participating teams to 48. South Korea, along with Mexico, Czech Republic, and South Africa, were placed in Group A. With a record of 1 win and 2 losses, they finished third in the group, but dropped to outside the top eight in the third-place standings across all 12 groups, missing out on the round of 32. As a result, they ended up ranked 34th. This is the first time since the 2018 Russia World Cup that the South Korean team has been eliminated in the group stage after 8 years.
On June 29 local time, South Korea's head coach Hong Myung-pyo apologized for this result and announced his resignation as coach. When Hong Myung-pyo and 9 players returned to South Korea on the 30th, some fans displayed a banner reading 'South Korean football is dead' at the scene.
Hong Mingfu’s appointment has been opposed from the beginning. After his appointment, the South Korean police received eight reports alleging that the process of appointing Hong Mingfu involved misconduct and other illegal activities. On the 1st, the South Korean police announced that they would investigate whether there were any illegal actions during the appointment process.
Critics have long accused the Korean Football Association of lacking transparency and fairness, with coaches and important positions being selected based on connections rather than ability. With the team being eliminated from the World Cup early on, these accusations and doubts have resurfaced. Many people believe that Korean football should have undergone a thorough overhaul long ago.
