Hong Myung-bo faces first test Thursday as Korea take on Palestine

Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo faces his first test Thursday in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul.

Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo, far left, trains his squad at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Monday ahead of a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Palestine on Thursday. [NEWS1]

Korean national team manager Hong Myung-bo faces his first test Thursday in a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Palestine at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul.

The qualifier is Korea’s first match in the third round of the World Cup qualifiers, where the top two teams from three groups reach the tournament.

Thursday’s qualifier comes two months after the KFA appointed Hong as manager, finally replacing Jurgen Klinsmann who was ousted in February. This is Hong’s second spell as senior team boss, after his first stint from 2013 to 2014 that ended after he failed to secure a single win at the 2014 World Cup.

The appointment of Hong drew criticism from Korean football fans, as he had previously said he would reject the offer and the appointment was viewed as suspicious as KFA Technical Director Lee Lim-saeng allegedly bypassed the selection committee to pick Hong.

But despite the criticism, Hong is focused on his job and the team.

“Since I have failed once before, I have fear from that experience,” Hong said Monday on the sidelines of the national team training camp at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi. “I did not feel that kind of fear back then, but I think that having a lot of fear this time is significantly different to 10 years ago.

“I was able to get here again as I have invested time and learned many things rather than focused on my failure.”

For the qualifiers, Hong called regular picks based in Europe like Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Son Heung-min, Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, who all have regularly been in their respective teams’ starting XI since the start of the 2024-25 campaign.

Son Heung-min, right, speaks with Kim Min-jae during the Korean national team training at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Son has mostly played as a left winger for the national team, although he is able to execute at the No. 9 position.

“What Son likes the most and does the best is staying on the left side of the pitch and capitalizing on the space in front of him, and I am well aware of that,” Hong said Monday. “His chemistry with other players will be really important. I will consider the fatigue of players who came to Korea from Europe and come up with an approach.”

Son and Lee both join the national team on the back of two goals in three league fixtures, while Kim joins after regaining a place in the starting lineup under new Bayern boss Vincent Kompany.

The Bayern defender was largely sidelined in the second half of last season under then-manager Thomas Tuchel, who instead utilized Eric Dier.

Fellow veteran pick Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers, meanwhile, joins the national team after playing all three Premier League fixtures in the 2024-25 season during which he has yet to pick a goal.

Over in the No. 9 position, Ulsan HD forward Joo Min-kyu is on Hong’s roster after becoming the oldest player to receive the call at 33 years and 333 days in March, but his recent stats have been relatively unimpressive, with one goal in five league matches.

Joo shone under former Ulsan manager Hong, though, as he was the K League 1 top scorer last season.

Machida Zelvia forward Oh Se-hun, who scored two goals in the past five J1 League matches, is the only other No. 9 option.

Hong will also reunite with some familiar faces at the national team, including Ulsan HD goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, whom he coached until he left the K League 1 club in July.

For teenage winger Yang Min-hyeok from Gangwon FC, the upcoming qualifier is an opportunity to leave his mark on the international stage before joining Tottenham in January next year.

Yang Min-hyeok, center, trains with the Korean national team at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

“This is a great honor,” Yang said during an interview with the KFA on Tuesday. “I am thankful that I got an opportunity at a young age. I feel like I have to become friends with older players and adapt.”

Prior to receiving the senior duty call, Yang made five U-16 appearances and 18 U-17 appearances, but is yet to compete at any U-20 or U-23 tournament.

Yang joins the senior team on the back of a strong performance in the K League 1, where he has racked up eight goals and five assists in 29 matches.

Two midfielders Jung Woo-young of Ulsan and Hong Hyun-seok of Mainz, meanwhile, join the national squad after recently moving to different teams.

Defensive midfielder Jung can provide stability above the defense line in the national team with his aggressive play that sees him winning aerial duels at Ulsan, while Hong can play as a No. 8 or No. 10.

But Hong has not been a regular pick for either position, as his role overlaps with fellow midfielders like Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung or Hwang In-beom, who can execute both jobs at the national team.

Lee Jae-sung is not only a key midfielder that has long played a critical role in the national team’s build-ups, including during the second round of qualifiers, but is also a core part of the Mainz lineup.

Hwang was Lee’s key partner during Korea’s run in the second round of qualifiers. Another notable performance in Thursday’s qualifier will leave an impression for Feyenoord, the new team he joined and will play for after the international break.

Swansea City midfielder Eom Ji-sung also joins the national squad, giving manager Hong more options to consider for the best midfield lineup.

Korea will be in action with a four-game unbeaten streak that has lasted since a draw with Thailand in March, while Palestine has not secured a win since a 1-0 win over Bangladesh in a second round qualifying match in the same month. The middle eastern side’s last match ended with a 5-0 loss to Australia in June.

Thursday’s qualifier will be the first match between Korea and Palestine.

Hong’s first match in charge of the national team during his first spell ended with a goalless draw against Australia, followed by two more draws and one loss. His first victory did not come until his fifth game in charge against Haiti, a 4-1 win.

Goal decisiveness was an issue during his first four games, but since the end of his first stint as national team boss, he has underscored attacking football, especially at Ulsan, where he made the team the most prolific team in the K League 1 during their back-to-back league wins from 2022 to 2023.

Thursday’s qualifier kicks off at Seoul World Cup Stadium, where Hong made his debut as national team boss in 2013, at 8 p.m. The Taeguk Warriors will then jet off to face Oman in their second qualifier on Sept. 10.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]