Kim, former coach of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, will sign a two-year deal until March 2026, VFF said.

Kim’s first task is to lead the national football team to the last two matches of the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June, 2024.

He will then train his players during the FIFA Days between September and November in preparation for the 2024 ASEAN Cup – Mitsubishi Electric Cup in late November and the third qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup in March 2025.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam U23 team will play at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualification in September 2025 and then the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in December 2025.

The appointment came after the sacking of French coach Philippe Troussier following the national team's poor performance.

Troussier was appointed in January 2023, and Vietnam's national team performances slumped under his reign. They suffered ten defeats in 11 matches, including seven consecutive losses in official games and the team was eliminated from the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Vietnam also dropped out of the top 100 on the FIFA rankings.

Kim, 48, helped Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors win the K-League 1 in 2021 in his first year as head coach and reached the AFC Champion's League semifinals.

Kim was voted Manager of the Month twice in 2022, K League 1 Manager of the Year in 2021, Korean FA Coach of the Year in 2021, and Korean FA Cup Best Manager in 2022.

However, Kim was fired in early 2023 because of Jeonbuk’s poor start, winning three out of 10 matches.

Kim's predecessor, Park Hang-seo, recorded Vietnam's best results.

During his five-year career in Vietnam, Park led Vietnam to runners-up in the 2018 Asian Football Confederation U23 Asian Cup, winners of the 2018 ASEAN Football Confederation Cup, quarterfinalists in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, and champions of the 2019 and 2021 Southeast Asian Games.

Park also led Vietnam to the final qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup for the first time in their history.