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Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young. / Courtesy of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young emphasized that South Korean football must re-examine its structural problems and formulate fundamental solutions, in light of the national football team suffering the bitter taste of a group stage exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The minister stated through his social media on the 28th, "It is time to organize the countless discussions we have repeatedly held thus far, tracing where things began to get tangled and what served as the root cause holding us back, to ultimately construct a fundamental alternative."

He continued, "Until the day the hearts of our citizens are gathered once again, the government will step forward to look after everything within our power," adding, "South Korean football has fallen, but it will absolutely rise again."

Previously, immediately following the national team's elimination, the minister shared his sentiments, saying, "It is profoundly regrettable. I was so upset that I did not know what to do, and simply stared blankly at the sky," emphasizing, "South Korean football has fallen into a quagmire; we must now compose our minds and start anew from the absolute bottom."

The South Korean national team, led by Manager Hong Myung-bo, recorded 1 win and 2 losses (3 points) in Group A of the tournament's group stage, finishing a mere third in the group. They also failed to secure a ticket to the round of 32—which is granted to the top 8 teams among the third-placed finishers in each group—thereby wrapping up the tournament in the group stage.

Interlocking with the controversies surrounding the national team, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which oversees the Korea Football Association (KFA), has been conducting audits into the overall operations of the association since 2024. In July of the same year, the ministry launched an audit regarding the selection process of Manager Hong Myung-bo, and in November, demanded heavy disciplinary action against KFA President Chung Mong-gyu.

In response, the KFA filed an administrative lawsuit alongside an injunction requesting the cancellation of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's disposition, obtaining an approval decision for the suspension of execution, and President Chung Mong-gyu subsequently succeeded in winning a fourth consecutive term.

However, in April last year, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled against the plaintiff, determining that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's demand for heavy disciplinary action was justifiable. President Chung has currently expressed his intention to step down from the presidency, concluding his tenure with the North American World Cup last month.

                                                                                                        Cheon Hyun-bin