[Anchor]
Former national football team head coach Hong Myung-bo and some players returned home today (June 30) following their voluntary resignation in the wake of the worst disaster in South Korean football history. Despite the early hour on a weekday, the airport was filled with the shouting and profanity of angry fans. Protected by heavy police security, the former coach left the scene with his lips tightly sealed.
For our first story, reporter Hong Seok-jun has the details.
[Reporter]
The anger of football fans toward former coach Hong Myung-bo, who resigned voluntarily yesterday taking responsibility for the group stage elimination, and the Korea Football Association (KFA) filled Incheon International Airport in the early hours of the weekday.
[Hong Myung-bo, get lost!]
[Hong Myung-bo, get out and die!]
Even though the KFA decided not to hold a homecoming event for the first time since the 1990 tournament, around 100 people, including members of the Red Devils supporters group, football fans, and YouTubers, gathered four hours before the team's arrival. With death threats against the former coach having appeared online earlier, 160 police officers were deployed to provide tight security at the arrivals hall.
When the former coach finally appeared in the arrivals area, the jeers from fans intensified.
[Hong Myung-bo, get out! Hong Myung-bo, get out!]
Escorted by police, the former coach walked out of the arrivals hall with a stern expression, looking straight ahead, and remained silent in response to questions from reporters.
[Please say a word to the players!]
While there were no incidents of "taffy throwing" or physical clashes like those seen 12 years ago, the fans' criticism continued until the bus carrying KFA officials departed.
[Jo Ho-tae / Red Devils Steering Committee Chair: We wanted to make sure the voices of football fans were heard as soon as they arrived in Korea. We hope for overall reform (in the football community) and that they can start over with a mindset to recreate the glory of 2002.]
While fans sent messages of support to the eight players who arrived with the coach, including Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae,
[Lee Kang-in, fighting!]
A commotion occurred when a fan threw "dog chews" at KFA President Chung Mong-gyu, who arrived later on a different flight.
(Video reporting: Yang Doo-won, Video editing: Hwang Ji-young)
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