Posted on 06/30/2026 5:08:56 AM PDT by dennisw
South Korean police are preparing huge security measures at the airport hosting the arrival of their World Cup football team - after the resigning manager faced a threat to his life.
Hong Myung-bo, 57, oversaw a Korean team who won just one game and failed to get out of Group A behind hosts Mexico and South Africa and has resigned after the nation's president demanded an investigation into their poor performance.
The situation has now escalated, with the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency announcing they are sending 160 riot and airport police for the return of the national team in Korea's third-biggest city on Tuesday.
That follows threats to the life of Hong. Korean news agency Yonhap report an online post read: 'I will take the lead and kill Hong Myung-bo XXX,' - and added that they would 'go to Incheon Airport and kill Hong Myung-bo on the day of his return.'
Twenty-five special security guards have also been deployed.
A police statement read: 'We have decided to deploy officers to prevent safety accidents that may occur during the entry process. We will respond strictly to any illegal acts, including the throwing of objects.'
South Korea are ranked higher than group rivals Czechia and South Africa and had been expected to progress, but Hong's management was questioned after numerous puzzling selection decisions, including benching Son Heung-min for the final group match.
Hong was hired after the expensive sacking of Jurgen Klinsmann in 2024. The appointment process for both of those bosses was deemed improper by the Seoul Administrative Court, who found that the football association's president, Chung Mong-gyu, had bypassed procedures and undermined the board to hire them.
Football president Chung may yet face discipline amid a legal scrap with the nation's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Hong was never a popular appointment. He had previously led them to the 2014 World Cup but finished winless and bottom of a group containing Belgium, Algeria, and Russia.
Their qualification and pre-tournament friendlies were unconvincing. While they went unbeaten in their third round qualifying group, they also drew against Oman, Jordan, and twice against Palestine, whose top divisio
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Getting all revved up over communist kickball. I thought Koreans were smarter.
All over a boring game for floppers and cry babies.
Soccer isn’t worth killing someone…
I guess in Korea now…..to repeat a famous quote…”Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”.
Ain't healthy.
Just imagine what they would do to that German manager.
Then we can bring flopping into this one which is what that goalie did. He should have cost them but they overturned the goal.
OMG , it’s just a game ,LOL
Death threats over a GAME should never happen.
That often occurs when those making the threat have nothing else meaningful to anticipate in their empty, soulless lives. Those people need to find a religion or spiritual presence to wrap their faith around.
I wonder what Germans think of their team losing to the squad that the Americans pasted.
They had a woman beat a man the other day at a pickleball match. What’s next cornhole?
See, in Japan, he would have just committed seppuku.
the nut cases line on the graph is almost vertical!! This world is goin to $hit!!
Remember the Colombian player who was killed for that own goal against the US in 1994.
I wonder what Germans think of their team losing to the squad that the Americans pasted.
The Team That Angela Merkel Built. Didn’t see a lot of “Germans” on that team.
Saddam Hussein tortured his.
At all.
My thoughts exactly.
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