Coach Park Hang Seo named vice president of KFA

Seoul, April 9, 2025 – Park Hang Seo, the renowned football coach and former mentor of Vietnam’s national team, has been appointed Vice President of the Korea Football Association (KFA), according to an announcement from his management company, DJ Management, on Tuesday. The move places one of Asia’s most celebrated tacticians in a key leadership role within South Korean football.

Park, 67, will advise on national team strategies across all levels—men’s, women’s, and youth—while working to bolster the KFA’s international reputation. His appointment comes at a time when South Korea aims to strengthen its football infrastructure, with aspirations to co-host the 2026 AFC Asian Cup and build on the legacy of its 2002 FIFA World Cup semifinal run, where Park served as assistant coach under Guus Hiddink.

DJ Management hailed the decision as a testament to Park’s expertise, noting his “extensive experience” in the sport. Park’s coaching career spans decades, most notably his transformative 2017-2023 stint with Vietnam. There, he delivered the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup, a 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal berth, and a 2019 SEA Games gold medal, revitalizing Vietnamese football and inspiring clubs like Hanoi Police FC and The Cong Viettel. Before Vietnam, Park managed K League sides like Gyeongnam FC and assisted South Korea’s historic 2002 World Cup campaign.

KFA President Chung Mong-gyu welcomed Park’s return, citing his “proven leadership and vision.” Park’s role will focus on strategic input rather than day-to-day coaching, allowing him to influence talent pipelines and international collaborations, such as the KFA’s recent youth exchange with Germany. His appointment follows a year of transition for Korean football, with the men’s team reaching the 2024 Asian Cup semifinals under Jurgen Klinsmann’s successor, Kim Sang-sik.

Park’s tenure in Vietnam ended in 2023 after a mutual parting, but his legacy endures—evidenced by Vietnam’s 2024 ASEAN Cup win under Kim. Now back in South Korea, Park Hang Seo’s new chapter promises to elevate the KFA’s ambitions. His first official engagement is slated for late April, aligning with preparations for upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup qualifiers.