South Korean President Calls for Investigation After National Team's Early Exit from 2026 World Cup

South Korean President Lee Jae‑Myung has formally requested an inquiry into the national team’s disappointing results at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The squad had aimed to advance to the round of 32 as one of the best third‑placed teams, but that possibility ended on Saturday.

The early elimination has sparked widespread criticism domestically, prompting President Lee to demand an investigation into the causes of the team’s underperformance.

Ranked 32nd in FIFA’s men’s rankings and led by star Son Heung‑min, South Korea finished the tournament with two defeats and one victory, placing below Mexico (15th) and South Africa (60th).

In a statement posted on X, the president expressed his shock:

“I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome – I am utterly baffled.”

“Once again, it has been proven that personnel decisions are everything.”

“When ‘us versus them’ is prioritised over competence, and an incompetent person is selected as a leader, the outcome is as clear as day.”

“The reason such botched appointments – which fail to distinguish between public and private interests, and prioritise personal gain over the public good – are possible is that it is impossible or difficult to monitor, check, and hold those with appointment authority accountable.”

“The failure to qualify, which has left the public feeling disheartened, appears to be the result of organisational and personnel failures.”

“Given that significant national taxpayer funds and state support resources are invested even in World Cup participation, I ask that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism thoroughly investigate the precise circumstances of this incident, analyse its causes, and develop thorough measures for preventing recurrence and improvement.”

“We will swiftly push forward with reforms to sports administration to ensure such a thing never happens again.”

South Korea, which remained unbeaten throughout World Cup qualification, have recently struggled on the global stage.

They have been eliminated in the group stage in three of the previous four tournaments.

They have not advanced past the round of 16 since finishing fourth 24 years ago.