Tonghan's failed PO, Jeonnam broke up with director Kim Hyun-seok after a year...Back in the whirlwind of change
Dec 04, 2025
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An official from the soccer community said on the 4th "Jeonnam and head coach Kim recently agreed to separate." "The performance of failing to advance to the playoffs is also a performance, but I understand that the disagreement over the management of the coach team next season is the main reason for the breakup."
According to the official, Jeonnam sat face-to-face with manager Kim to discuss the extension contract shortly after completing the regular league 'Hana Bank K League 2 2025'. Coach Kim, who led Asan in Chungnam to a surprise runner-up and advance to the promotion playoffs in the 2024 season, signed a 1+1 (optional) contract with Jeonnam ahead of this season. It was an option to automatically extend the contract when entering the top five, which is the playoff ticket.
South Jeolla ranked sixth in the final ranking. He ranked 2nd and 3rd during the season and surpassed the playoff spot. He put his team's hot offensive soccer ahead, ranking fourth (63 goals) in the team's score. However, he cried due to lack of endurance as he lost three games (2 wins and 1 draw) in the last six games. In the final match of the 39th round, Kim's former team, Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, was caught 1-2 and allowed Seongnam to turn over shock. The match against Asan, South Chungcheong Province, became coach Kim's farewell game.
For the club, the contract extension was literally 'optional'. The Jeonnam leadership, which returned the season, reportedly confirmed the possibility of coach Kim's system. Judging that it was a moment where continuity was needed rather than change, he proposed Kim to accompany him. However, there was a condition. It was judged that a major change was needed in the coaching team. In response, coach Kim expressed his intention to leave the team after much consideration.
As a result, Kim, who took office as the 16th head coach of Jeonnam on December 20, 2024, will step down without completing one year of his term. South Jeolla Province, which failed to advance for the seventh consecutive year after suffering a disappointing second-division relegation in 2018, will start anew from zero base with the new coach. The plan is to appoint a replacement head coach as soon as possible to achieve promotion, which is the aspiration of the team in the 2026 season when up to four teams are promoted.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
