"The coaches and I are also dumbfounded as to why we performed so weakly," he said on Friday, adding that players became impatient when things did not work out.
The controversy surrounding Hong dates back to his 2024 appointment by the Korea Football Association, which bypassed standard interview procedures.
This prompted a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism investigation that recommended punitive actions against KFA President Chung Mong-gyu.
Political figures have since demanded a complete systemic overhaul of the national governing body.
"Tragedies do not repeat by chance. They repeat when a flawed system is in place," said six-term Rep.
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Song Young-gil of the Democratic Party of Korea on Sunday.
