On June 27, Beijing time, the Korea Football Association refuted rumors through SPOTV News that Hong Myung-bo's annual salary was 3.8 billion won.
According to SPOTV News, a KFA official stated to the media on June 27: "The report that head coach Hong Myung-bo's annual salary is 3.8 billion won is groundless. The actual annual salary is not significantly different from the amount known to the public." The KFA thus distanced itself from recent speculation.
On June 26, the global salary analysis agency Salary Riks published rankings of annual salaries for head coaches of the 48 teams participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The data indicated that Hong Myung-bo's annual salary was approximately 2.16 million euros, equivalent to around 3.8 billion won. The public had previously estimated his annual salary at roughly 2 billion won, but the agency suggested his actual income was higher than the original estimate.
After this report surfaced, it sparked backlash from many South Korean fans. The South Korean national team, led by Hong Myung-bo, lost 0-1 to South Africa in their Group A match on June 25, falling to third place in the group. With their qualification prospects for the Round of 32 now uncertain, fan frustration toward Hong Myung-bo intensified.
Given this context, the report of Hong Myung-bo's substantially higher salary fueled public questioning about whether his compensation matched his coaching performance. Comparisons were drawn to Japan's head coach Moriyasu Hajime, whose annual salary was reported at approximately 821,000 euros, equivalent to around 1.4 billion won. If Hong Myung-bo's 3.8 billion won salary were accurate, his compensation would be nearly triple that of Moriyasu Hajime.
However, the Korea Football Association explicitly denied the claim but did not disclose Hong Myung-bo's specific salary. Based on the statement that the actual amount is "not significantly different from the amount known to the public," Hong Myung-bo's annual salary appears to remain close to the 2 billion won previously estimated by the public.
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