SEOUL — Hong Myung-bo, the former Ulsan Hyundai FC manager who led the team to consecutive K League 1 titles, has been named the new head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on Sunday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a press conference is scheduled for Monday with KFA technical director Lee Lim-saeng to discuss the details of Hong's appointment. This decision comes after a nearly five-month search following the dismissal of previous coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who was let go on February 16 after South Korea's semifinal loss at the AFC Asian Cup. Hong, 55, previously held the national team's coaching role from 2013 to 2014, which included a campaign at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil where the team exited in the group stage.
The search for a new coach faced multiple setbacks, as prime candidates either accepted other positions or remained with their current employers. Lee Lim-saeng, who took over the search after Chung Hae-sung resigned on June 28 as head of the National Teams Committee, traveled to Europe last week to interview potential foreign coaches, including former Premier League coaches David Wagner and Gus Poyet. After returning, Lee met with Hong, who accepted the coaching position on Saturday evening.
Hong is celebrated as one of South Korea's football legends, having captained the team to the semifinals of the 2002 World Cup co-hosted with Japan. His playing career highlights include scoring the crucial penalty that led to a victory over Spain in the quarterfinals. Post-retirement, Hong has built a notable coaching career, including leading South Korea's under-23 team to a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, marking the country's only Olympic football medal.
Following his initial national team coaching stint, which ended in disappointment at the 2014 World Cup, Hong stepped back from coaching to serve as an executive director for the KFA from 2017 to 2020. He returned to coaching with Ulsan Hyundai FC, breaking their long championship drought by winning the K League 1 title in 2022 and successfully defending it in 2023. Prior to accepting the national team role, Hong had publicly expressed frustration with the KFA's protracted coach search, assuring Ulsan supporters of his commitment amid speculation over his departure.