Lee apologizes for 'absurd' result, orders Ministry of Culture to draw up prevention plan

President Lee Jae Myung. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung. [Yonhap]

By Yang Geun-hyuk, The Herald Business

President Lee Jae Myung said Sunday he was left stunned by South Korea's group-stage elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the result as going beyond surprise into outright bewilderment. He was speaking as a former honorary professional football club president and a self-described supporter of the national team.

In a post on his X account that day, Lee said the outcome had "once again proved that personnel decisions are everything," adding that "when you select an incompetent person as commander by prioritizing loyalty over ability, the result is entirely predictable."

Lee said flawed appointments that put private interests above the public good are possible "because it is difficult or impossible to monitor, check and hold accountable those who hold appointment authority." He stressed that "ultimately, every organization must have democratic composition and oversight, and a clear alignment between authority and responsibility."

He added that establishing democratic leadership structures and objective oversight mechanisms in the private sector is a key policy goal of his administration. Lee said he had already directed relevant authorities to guide sports organizations — including the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and the Korea Football Association — to adopt direct elections open to all athletes and sports figures, rather than the narrow indirect election systems currently in place, similar to reforms already under way at the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation. He said he understood those instructions were being carried out.

Lee also said building a strict monitoring and accountability system — one that ensures consequences match actions and outcomes — was an equally important task.

Describing the World Cup failure as the result of "organizational and personnel failures," Lee directed the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to thoroughly examine the circumstances and causes of the debacle and prepare a detailed plan to prevent a recurrence, noting that significant public funds and national resources go into World Cup participation.

Lee also apologized to the public for "the deep disappointment caused by this absurd turn of events," and pledged to swiftly push ahead with reforms to sports administration to ensure it does not happen again.


yg@heraldcorp.com