Korean riot police rush to airport over threat to kill World Cup boss
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.
South Korea manager Hong Myung-bo has stepped down - but faces a threat to his life
Korea are due to land in Incheon on Tuesday - and will be flanked by a huge police presence
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 divisions have not been contested since 2023.
In the year leading up to the World Cup, they were thrashed 5-0 by Brazil and 4-0 by the Ivory Coast, which did not fill fans with confidence.
They looked impressive enough in their 2-1 opening victory against Czechia, but failed to carve out many chances in their 1-0 losses to Mexico and South Africa.
Hong's in-game management was questioned. While they were losing against South Africa, he hooked centre-back Kim Min-jae and replaced him with another defender, rather than an attacker, a decision which frustrated fans.
South Korean president Lee Jae Myung said he was 'utterly baffled' by the results and called for an investigation into their World Cup exit in a statement on X.
'I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome. I am utterly baffled,' Lee wrote on X.
'I find the unexpected outcome not merely disappointing but truly absurd.
'When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and incompetent people are appointed to leadership positions, the outcome is all but inevitable,” Lee said in a post on X.
Hong's methods did not get across to his players - and South Korea hugely disappointed
'I offer my deepest apologies to the public for the profound disappointment caused by this unacceptable outcome.
'We will move swiftly to reform sports administration to ensure that nothing like this happens again.
'The reason such botched appointments - which fail to distinguish between public and private interests and prioritise personal gain over the public good - are possible is that it is impossible or difficult to monitor, check, and hold those with appointment authority accountable
'Given that significant national taxpayer funds and state support resources are invested even in World Cup participation, I ask that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism thoroughly investigate the precise circumstances of this incident, analyse its causes, and develop thorough measures for preventing recurrence and improvement.'
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
