South Korea football chief resigns amid fallout of group-stage exit at World Cup
Chung Mong-gyu had been in the role since 2013 and follows Hong Myung-bo, who quit last week as head coach after backlash, out the door
South Korea football chief Chung Mong-gyu stepped down on Monday, a week after the country prematurely ended their Fifa World Cup journey by failing to reach the knockout stage as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
His departure followed harsh criticism from the country’s president, Lee Jae-myung, and the resignation of head coach Hong Myung-bo last week, after South Korea managed only three points in their group.
The team started with a 2-1 win in their opening match against the Czech Republic but then lost 1-0 to Mexico and South Africa.
The earlier-than-expected elimination from the group stage was the third time it had happened in their last four World Cups.
Chung, the long-standing president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), had been at the helm since January 2013.
He tendered his resignation earlier in the day after presiding over his final meeting with senior executives at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, some 90km south of Seoul.
In a statement released by the KFA, Chung thanked Korean football fans for their support and apologised for the times he disappointed them.