Head coach Hong Myung-bo, who announced his resignation after the national team failed to advance to the Round of 32 in the World Cup, has become embroiled in a controversy over his attitude after being seen with his hands in his pockets while leaving a press conference.
One day after South Korea's elimination from the tournament, Hong read a prepared statement at a press conference held in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Hong stated that while he could not claim all his decisions were correct, the standard for every decision he made was the future of South Korean football. He took full responsibility for the team's performance falling short of expectations and announced his intention to step down.
[Hong Myung-bo / Former National Football Team Head Coach: I would like to sincerely apologize to the people of Korea who love our football and have always supported the national team. Today, I intend to step down as the head coach of the South Korean national football team.]
After reading his statement for about two minutes, Hong left the press conference without taking any questions. It was at this moment that cameras captured him putting his hands into his trouser pockets.
Following the release of the footage, online communities and social media platforms were flooded with criticism, questioning whether such behavior was appropriate for a coach stepping down due to poor performance.
On football-related YouTube channels, viewers commented, "Watching him just read a prepared statement and casually say 'I am resigning' made me feel ignored." Others remarked that seeing him put his hands in his pockets before he had even fully exited the building, despite having just apologized, made it seem as though he was "not sorry at all."
Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Jang Yujin | Graphics by Yook Dohyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
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