South Korea, 7 July 2026 – Former Vietnam head coach Park Hang-seo has officially stepped down as Vice President of the Korea Football Association (KFA) following South Korea’s disappointing group-stage elimination at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to South Korean media on July 7, Park made the decision while the team was still in Mexico. The 68-year-old expressed his intention to resign shortly after head coach Hong Myung-bo announced his departure in the wake of the national team’s early exit. Following a private farewell ceremony attended by players and KFA officials, Park officially concluded both his role as team manager for the national squad and his position as KFA Vice President.
In a message to supporters, Park apologized for South Korea’s failure to meet expectations at the World Cup. He accepted responsibility for the team’s performance, stating that, as team manager, he was accountable on behalf of the KFA.
South Korea’s campaign in North America ended in disappointment after recording just one win and two defeats in the group stage, finishing with three points. Despite the expanded 48-team format and a 32-team knockout stage at the 2026 World Cup, the Taeguk Warriors failed to progress after finishing third in their group and missing out on qualification as one of the best third-placed teams.
South Korean media have described the campaign as one of the country’s most disappointing World Cup performances in recent history, considering the team’s final standing.
Park joined the KFA’s 55th Executive Committee in April 2025, serving as Vice President responsible for supporting the national teams. During the 2026 World Cup, he was appointed team manager, overseeing South Korea’s campaign throughout the tournament in North America.
Before moving into football administration, Park had already built an impressive coaching résumé. One of the defining moments of his career came in 2002, when he served as assistant coach to Guus Hiddink during the FIFA World Cup. That tournament saw South Korea make history by reaching the semi-finals for the first time, a feat that remains the greatest achievement in the nation’s football history.
Park’s international reputation grew even further during his highly successful spell with the Vietnam national team from late 2017 to early 2023. Under his leadership, Vietnam won the 2018 AFF Championship, reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, captured back-to-back SEA Games gold medals in 2019 and 2021, and qualified for the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s history. Those achievements cemented his status as one of the most successful foreign coaches ever to work in Vietnamese football.
Following his departure from the KFA, Park will return to coaching later this month. Two months ago, he signed a two-year contract to take charge of Kanchanaburi Power, a club competing in Thailand’s second division, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his coaching career.
VSN/RPT
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