Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), announced on May 29, 2026, that he will step down after the 2026 World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in North America [1, 2]. Chung has led the KFA since 2013 and had won a fourth term in February 2025 that was due to run until 2029 [1, 2]. He acknowledged controversies during his tenure, saying, "I know well there have been various controversies and criticism while I have run the football association. I believe all of this stems from my own lack of virtue [1]."
Chung’s final responsibility, he said, is to support the South Korean team at the upcoming World Cup, hoping the squad under coach Hong Myung-bo can achieve meaningful results. "I believe the team under coach Hong Myung-bo could produce meaningful results at the tournament in North America and asked fans to give the squad their full support," Chung said [1]. South Korea will face Mexico, South Africa, and the Czech Republic in the group stage [1, 2].
The Korea Football Association faced criticism and legal issues in recent years. In 2023, the KFA tried to pardon football figures sanctioned for match-fixing but reversed course after backlash [1, 2]. In 2024, South Korea’s sports ministry ruled the KFA violated regulations by appointing Jurgen Klinsmann and Hong Myung-bo without the proper National Team Committee involvement [1, 2]. This led to a Seoul court upholding a demand for disciplinary action against Chung in April 2026 [1, 2].
Chung, 64 at the time of his announcement, did not specify a successor but confirmed his departure would follow the conclusion of the World Cup [1, 2]. His presidency will end after more than 13 years at the helm of Korean football [1, 2].