After two weeks of silence and absence, former South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo finally broke his silence to apologize to his people and reveal that his sudden departure to the US was not an escape, but an attempt to protect his family from death threats he received after the humiliating exit from the 2026 World Cup.

The South Korean coach Hong Myung-bo issued an official statement in which he publicly apologized to his country's fans, assuming "full responsibility for this result" after the team's group stage exit with only one win in three matches.

The shocking defeat to South Africa in the final round was the last straw for the team, sparking an unprecedented wave of anger in South Korea, with its arrows directed straight at the coach.

Hong said in his statement: "I sincerely apologize to all citizens who loved and supported Korean football. I failed to achieve the results the nation expected at the World Cup. As a coach, I accept this responsibility with all its weight and apologize deeply once again."

Hong revealed that his silence over the past two weeks was intentional, explaining: "I thought that the national team's results were a burden I had to bear alone, and therefore I could not share my position with the public."

But he pointed out at the same time that silence was no longer possible after "false information began to be published as facts, accompanied by baseless rumors."

The most serious part of Hong's statement was his revelation of the reason for leaving South Korea for the United States a week ago, a move that was interpreted at the time as fleeing accountability. He commented: "My decision was not to escape consequences; there were death threats directed at me and my family, as well as concerns about our personal safety. As the head of the family, I had to protect them."

The coach concluded his statement by affirming his full readiness to be held accountable, saying: "If a parliamentary hearing is held, I believe that platform is the appropriate place to explain the World Cup results. I will take full responsibility, present the facts as I know them to the public, and I will not evade any questions."

Hong Myung-bo's statement puts an end to speculation, but opens the door to a new phase of accountability within Korean football, after a World Cup disappointment that turned from a sporting defeat into a matter of public opinion.

🚨 | 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆: "𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐌𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘..."

Hong Myung-bo has issued a personal statement regarding the reasons he left Korea and he promised to return if a parliamentary hearing is held. 🙏

Full translated text below:

"Citizens of Korea, this is Hong… pic.twitter.com/Vxez94Pypu

— Joel Kim (@KNTFootball) July 9, 2026