Hong Myung-bo, the former South Korea national football team head coach who oversaw the country's worst-ever World Cup performance, arrives at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on Tuesday. [Yonhap]
Hong Myung-bo, the former South Korea national football team head coach who oversaw the country's worst-ever World Cup performance, arrives at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on Tuesday. [Yonhap]

As former South Korea national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo stepped down to take responsibility for the team's group-stage elimination at the 2026 North America World Cup, an unlikely chorus of support for him has emerged in Japan.

On Sunday, Kono Taro, a member of Japan's House of Representatives who has served as foreign minister, defense minister and digital minister, posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Don't bully our OB (sunbae) Hong Myung-bo." Kono is a former president of J.League club Shonan Bellmare, where Hong played as an active player from 1997 to 1998.

Japanese internet users echoed the sentiment. "It's painful to see Hong Myung-bo, who contributed so much to the development of the J.League, facing such fierce criticism in his home country," one user wrote, while another suggested, "We should just let him defect to Japan."

Major Japanese media outlets also gave prominent coverage to Hong's resignation and the reaction in South Korea.

Japanese outlet The World said Hong announced his resignation just one day after South Korea's group-stage elimination was confirmed, adding that despite his public apology to the nation, "there are no signs that the anger of South Korean football fans is subsiding."

Sports Hochi noted that Hong had appeared in four World Cups as a player and also played in the J.League, and that he had previously resigned following South Korea's group-stage exit at the 2014 Brazil World Cup before returning to the post in 2024, only to step down again.

Nikan Sports added that Hong, who led South Korea to its first-ever Olympic bronze medal at the 2012 London Games, was eliminated from Group A — widely considered a favorable draw — and ultimately resigned.

South Korea had been placed in a group with Mexico, Czech Republic and South Africa, widely regarded as the easiest draw in the country's World Cup history. Despite fielding what many called the best squad ever assembled — featuring Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae — the team finished with one win and two losses and failed to advance.

Hong announced his departure on Sunday (Korean Standard Time) from the team's base camp in Guadalajara, Mexico. "I am sorry to the people who love and support Korean football," he said. "On Tuesday, I intend to step down as head coach of the South Korean national football team."


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