U-23 Team Manager Takes Dual Role Following Korea Football Association Announcement

Courtesy of KFA

In a decision disclosed by the Korea Football Association (KFA) on Tuesday, Hwang Sun-hong, the manager of the U-23 Korean national football team, has been chosen to concurrently lead the senior national team as its interim manager.

The announcement came after a meeting of the National Team Committee, responsible for appointing coaches for various age brackets within the national teams. Chung Hae-sung, the new chief of the committee, highlighted Hwang's recent coaching accomplishments, particularly his team's victory at the Hangzhou Asian Games, during a press briefing to announce the decision. Chung cited Hwang's experience in international competitions and understanding of Asian football as key factors. 

▲ Hwang Sun-hong / Courtesy of KFAHwang, affiliated with the KFA, will undertake dual responsibilities, leading the senior team in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Thailand next month as the caretaker coach. Subsequently, he will manage the team for the remaining qualifiers in June. Concurrently, as the U-23 national team boss, Hwang will guide the team in the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar in April, serving as the Asian regional final qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The managerial position for the Korean men's national team became vacant following the dismissal of Jurgen Klinsmann on Feb. 16, following South Korea's semifinal exit from the AFC Asian Cup. Initially planning to appoint a permanent manager ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, the committee reversed its decision, opting for a caretaker boss first and then taking more time to find a full-time head coach.

This shift in approach followed strong criticism from Korean football fans regarding rumored plans to recruit a coach from the domestic K League 1, currently under contract with a club. Fans expressed concerns about the lack of respect for the league and disapproved of potential poaching from teams such as Ulsan HD FC and Jeju United.

While media reports suggested former Vietnam national team coach Park Hang-seo as a strong candidate for the caretaker coach position, Chung clarified during the press briefing that Hwang Sun-hong was the first choice. The decision-making process involved communication with the KFA and Hwang's acceptance of the position following careful consideration.

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