KFA President Chung Mong Kyu.
In a significant move reflecting on the recent performance of South Korea's national football team, Chung Mong-gyu, the President of the Korea Football Association (KFA), has publicly apologized for the team's disappointing outing at the Qatar Asian Cup. The statement comes after widespread criticism from fans and the general public over the team's failure to meet expectations during the tournament and for about 12 months.
In a revealing post on Instagram following his dismissal, former South Korea national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann defended his tenure, highlighting a 13-game unbeaten streak that ended with a semi-final loss to Jordan at the Asian Cup. Despite criticism of his leadership and strategic approach, Klinsmann expressed pride in his team's achievements.
The controversy reached a boiling point during the Asian Cup, where fans voiced their frustrations over what they perceived as a lack of clear direction from Klinsmann and his coaching staff. The discontent culminated in widespread anger, with many accusing the head coach of being unprepared and failing to provide the necessary leadership and tactical planning for the tournament.
Klinsmann’s final comment.
Under the scrutiny of this backlash, the KFA conducted a detailed analysis of the team's performance, leading to a pivotal decision announced by Chung: the replacement of the national team's head coach, Jurgen Klinsmann. The decision was made after evaluating Klinsmann's approach to game management, player management, and overall work ethic, which were found to be lacking in alignment with the competitive and strategic expectations held by the association for the role.
Chung's announcement underscores a broader commitment to revitalizing the national team's strategy and performance, with immediate steps to appoint a new head coach in preparation for the upcoming 2026 North Central America World Cup qualifiers. Additionally, the KFA plans to overhaul the National Team Strengthening Committee, aiming to address not only coaching concerns but also internal team dynamics and management issues highlighted by recent incidents within the team.
These incidents, described as arising from the pressures and challenges of prolonged training camps and back-to-back high-stakes matches, have shed light on significant areas for improvement in team management and cohesion. In response, Chung has pledged to implement measures to prevent similar situations in the future, emphasizing the need for a unified and disciplined approach to national team preparation and performance.
The KFA's actions, as outlined by Chung, represent a clear response to the criticisms and concerns raised by the national team's stakeholders and supporters. With a focus on accountability, strategic change, and the appointment of new leadership, the association aims to steer South Korean football back onto a path of competitive success and national pride ahead of critical international challenges.
The following is a full statement from Chairman Chung Mong-gyu and the contents of a Q&A session with reporters.
Good Bye! Mr. Klinsmann.
[Statement by Chairman Chung Mong-gyu]
I am Chung Mong-gyu, the president of the Korea Football Association. I am deeply sorry for disappointing many fans, footballers, and citizens with our performance not meeting expectations at the Qatar Asian Cup.
As the head of the organization managing the national football team, I humbly accept the criticism and reprimands directed at me and the Korea Football Association and apologize. Following the Asian Cup, the association conducted a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the national team's participation in the tournament. We held a meeting of the National Team Strengthening Committee yesterday to discuss these matters, and this morning, I received a report on these discussions and gathered opinions from the association's executive members.
The evaluation of the national team's coach was a key focus of our discussion. After thoroughly considering these discussions, the Korea Football Association has decided to replace the national team's coach. Coach Klinsmann did not demonstrate the game management, player management, and work attitude required to bring out the competitiveness of the national team, which are qualities we expect from the coach of the South Korean national team.
The national football team is more than just a sports team; it represents South Korea, garnering the interest and support of the public and giving back energy to the nation. It must continue to do so. However, after synthesizing the discussions and opinions, it was concluded that Coach Klinsmann's competitiveness and attitude as a coach did not meet the expectations and sentiments of the public, and it was judged difficult to improve, leading to the decision to replace him before the 2026 North Central America World Cup second round qualifiers.
It is time for the national football team to regroup. The Korea Football Association will immediately appoint a new coach to lead us through the 2026 North Central America World Cup second-round qualifiers. We will form a new National Team Strengthening Committee and appoint a chairman to proceed with this task.
Meanwhile, there have been disappointing incidents within the team that have come to light, arising from over a month of living together and the physical and mental challenges of consecutive difficult matches. While these incidents occurred under sensitive circumstances, they highlight significant areas for future team management.
We will seek various measures to prevent similar situations from occurring again by reviewing our coaching staff structure and player management systems. Again, I apologize to the public who passionately supported the national team during this tournament for the disappointment and concern caused.
Some fans staged a protest by hanging banners in front of the football association building, calling for the dismissal of Coach Klinsmann.
Q&A Session
Q) Ultimately, the football association appointed Klinsmann, and you, as the chairman, were the final decision-maker. How do you plan to take responsibility for this misstep, which has cost Korean football a year?
A) President Chung Mong-gyu: I believe the overall responsibility lies with the football association and myself. We will conduct a more detailed investigation into the causes and develop appropriate measures.
Q) There has been significant controversy regarding Klinsmann's penalty clause. What are your plans regarding this, and how do you intend to proceed with the reappointment of the National Team Strengthening Committee chairman?
A) President Chung Mong-gyu: We must consult with a lawyer regarding the coach's termination and the penalty clause. If there is a financial burden, I will consider what financial contributions I can make as chairman. We have not yet discussed who will be appointed as the new National Team Strengthening Committee chairman. We will discuss and reorganize after this press conference. Regarding the next national team coach, we have not yet discussed matters related to nationality, and we plan to appoint a new coach promptly through the chairman of the National Team Strengthening Committee.
Q) There has been talk about your responsibility related to this situation. Are you considering resigning, and do you plan to run for a fourth term in next February's election?
A) President Chung Mong-gyu: I would like to clarify some misunderstandings about the process of appointing Klinsmann. The process was the same as when we appointed Coach Bento, where the first and second-choice candidates delayed their response or declined, and Bento was chosen as a third option. Likewise, for the next manager, we narrowed down the list from 61 to 23 candidates, and then Chairman Michael Müller prioritized five candidates and conducted interviews. After two rounds of interviews, Klinsmann was chosen.
Regarding my re-election, I appreciate your interest. In 2018, I amended the association's charter to limit the president's term to three, which the Korea Sports Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism did not approve. That's all I will say on that matter.
Q) How do you plan to address the discord among the players?
A) President Chung Mong-gyu: Domestic players were in a camp for almost 70 days starting December 26, and players from Europe joined around January 2, spending over 40 days in camp with nearly 50 male players, including playing 120-minute matches in the Asian Cup under sensitive conditions. It's common for such issues to arise within a team, and overly scrutinizing every detail can worsen the situation.
We need support from the media and football fans. These young individuals need help to heal. Regarding disciplinary matters, we have considered various provisions, but as these players are not under our direct employment, not calling them up for selection is the only disciplinary action available.
We believe this should be thoroughly discussed with the newly appointed coach. Dividing the team into domestic and foreign-based players, seniors born before 1992, and younger players born in 1996 and later is not beneficial. The most important task for the next coach is to unify the team. The fact that we faltered at a crucial juncture in the Asian Cup was ultimately because we were not united as a team. Instead of dwelling on who did what, we should use this as an opportunity for the young players to grow and become a unified team, which we will discuss with the new coach.
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