Japanese media spotlight backlash after South Korea's World Cup exit: "Death threats after Hong Myung-bo's resignation"

[Financial News, Tokyo = Reporter Seo Hye-jin] Major Japanese media outlets gave prominent coverage on the 30th to the fallout from South Korea's national football team's group-stage exit at the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in North and Central America, which led to the coach's resignation, public criticism from the president, political clashes, and even death threats.
The Nikkei reported that President Lee Jae-myung sharply criticized Hong Myung-bo and the Korea Football Association (KFA) on his social media account on the 28th, saying, "If you choose an incompetent person as a commander, the result is obvious."
Lee said he felt "more than just bewildered" by the unexpected result. He added, "If you value your own side over ability and appoint an incompetent person as a commander, the result is obvious," and instructed relevant ministries to identify the cause and draw up measures to prevent a recurrence.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that criticism of Hong in South Korea has escalated into personal attacks. Some restaurants have posted signs saying "Hong Myung-bo banned from entry," and posts threatening to kill Hong have appeared online, prompting police to launch an investigation on suspicion of intimidation.
It also reported that police have stepped up security in preparation for possible safety incidents linked to the team's return, and that a welcome event for the World Cup squad is expected to be canceled.
The Mainichi Shimbun also reported that police plan to deploy about 100 officers, including airport police, at Incheon International Airport. It said the move was taken in anticipation of large crowds, even though the team had not requested personal protection.
The Asahi Shimbun pointed to the lack of transparency in the process of appointing Hong as the root cause of the controversy.
The paper said there had been controversy over the fairness of the selection process when Hong was appointed head coach in 2024. It added that once the team fell short of expectations, criticism of the appointment process resurfaced.
It also noted that Hong, as a player, captained South Korea to the semifinals at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup and was a standout defender in the J.League with Bellmare Hiratsuka, now Shonan Bellmare, and Kashiwa Reysol. But as a coach, he suffered a group-stage exit for the second time, following the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. South Korea had reached the round of 16 at the previous 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Sankei Shimbun said the issue has also spilled into political infighting.
It reported that after Lee publicly criticized an "incompetent commander," the opposition linked the remark to economic policy and counterattacked. Lawmakers from both sides then began attacking each other by comparing them to Hong, turning the World Cup exit into a political battle.
Japanese media also said the same pattern has appeared again, with criticism focusing on the coach and the football association whenever South Korea's national team underperforms in international competitions. The Mainichi Shimbun quoted a report saying, "In South Korea, football is very popular, so when the national team struggles in international tournaments, anger can often be directed at the coach and players."
Meanwhile, the Japan national football team, which had set winning the World Cup as its goal, lost to Brazil in the round of 32 on the same day.
Japan fell 2-1 to Brazil in a comeback loss in the round of 32 at Houston Stadium in Houston, Texas, on the morning of the same day. Brazil, the most successful team in World Cup history with five titles, advanced to the round of 16.
[email protected] Seo Hye-jin Reporter