On January 31, 2023, after five years of leading the national football squad and winning many honors, he officially said goodbye to Vietnam and terminated his contract signed with VFF (Vietnam Football Federation).

Before the official departure, the South Korean said he would spend time with his family and prepare for the opening of the Youth Football Academy in Vietnam before coming back.

Some sources say he has taken the job of temporary chief coach of the South Korean national squad. Most recently, local media reported that the hero of Vietnamese football applied for the post of chief coach of the Indian national squad, but he was not chosen by that country's football federation. 

The coach is reportedly now acting as the advisor to Bac Ninh FC, the football club which failed in the race in the league's first division.

However, South Korean media says that Park wants to return and rumors were circulating that he had accepted a proposal to become the chief coach of the Cambodian football squad. There were also rumours that Park was a candidate for coaching jobs in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

Called the most successful coach in Southeast Asia, Park is well liked by Vietnamese, and some analysts believe that the delay in returning is about the pay offered to him.

Under the contract Park signed with VFF in 2019, the pay was $50,000 a month (after tax), or $600,000 a year, in addition to a house, car and other allowances. Other regional football federations could not give such pay to Park. Also, co-workers with good expertise and similar views are important factors to be considered when taking the job. 

Duy Nguyen