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TEAM PROFILE: Korea Republic
FIFA World Cup Record
Qualified: 1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010
Best Performance: Fourth place -2002
Best Result: 2002 - 0-0 (won 5-3 on penalties) v Spain
Wins: 5 Draws: 8 Losses: 15
Formation 4-2-3-1
FW Park Chu-young
Hong Myung-bo will take a
youthful squad to the finals
of the FIFA World Cup as
he seeks to build on Korea
Republic’s success at the
Olympic Games in London
two years ago.
Then, Hong steered the
country’s U-23 team to their first-ever medal
in the men’s competition, defeating Japan in
the third place play-off match to record Asia’s
best performance at the Olympics since the
Japanese finished third in Mexico City in
1968.
Hong was appointed head coach of
the full national side last year, replacing
Choi Kang-hee, who had secured Korea’s
place in the finals for an eighth straight
tournament, and he has sought to increase
the pace and energy of the team.
Only five players remain from the squad
that reached the Round of 16 in South
Africa four years ago, with striker Park Chuyong
gaining selection despite struggling in
recent months with injury.
Ki Sung-yueng sits at the heart of the
midfield, controlling the team’s tempo, while
Son Heung-min has become a fixture in
the side under Hong after two impressive
seasons in Germany.
In a group featuring Russia, Belgium
and Algeria, the Koreans will be hoping to
advance to the knockout phase for a second
World Cup in a row and, from there, build on
their showing in 2010.
LMF Son Heung-min CMF Koo Ja-cheol RMF Lee Chung-yong
CM Ki Sung-yueng CM Han Kook-yong
LB Yun Suk-young
CB Kim Young-gwon
CB Hong Jeong-ho
RB Lee Yong
Kim
Young-gwon
Ki
Sung-yueng
C
entral
defender
Kim
Young-gwon has
been a key part
of the Guangzhou
Evergrande side
that has dominated
club football in the
continent over the
last two seasons.
Club coach
Marcello Lippi
has hailed Kim as
one of the finest
defenders in Asia.
O
ne of only
five players
to survive
from the squad that
represented Korea
Republic in South
Africa four years
ago, Ki Seung-yueng
remains the fulcrum
around which the
rest of the team
pivots. An elegant
presence in the
centre of midfield,
he also presents
a threat from set
pieces.
GK Jung Sung-ryeong
Park
Chu-young
I
njury
and a
lack
of form
looked set
to deny
Park Chu-young the opportunity to appear
at a second straight FIFA World Cup, but the
former Monaco forward was selected by Hong
Myung-bo, as he was as an overage player for
the Olympic Games in 2012.
World Cup Schedule in Group H
June 17 Korea Republic v Russia Cuiaba
June 22 Korea Republic v Algeria Porto Alegre
June 26 Korea Republic v Belgium Sao Paulo
Squad
Jung Sung-ryeong (Suwon Bluewings)
Kim Seung-gyu (Ulsan Hyundai)
Lee Bum-young (Busan I’Park)
Park Joo-ho (Mainz, Germany)
Yun Suk-young (QPR, England)
Kim Young-gwon (Guangzhou Evergrande, China)
Hwang Seok-ho (Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Japan)
Hong Jeong-ho (Augsburg, Germany)
Kwak Tae-hwi (Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia)
Lee Yong (Ulsan Hyundai)
Kim Chang-soo (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan)
Ki Sung-yueng (Sunderland, England)
Ha Dae-sung (Beijing Guoan, China)
Han Kook-young (Kashiwa Reysol, Japan)
Park Jung-woo (Guangzhou R&F, China)
Son Heung-min (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany)
Kim Bo-kyung (Cardiff City, Wales)
Lee Chung-yong (Bolton Wanderers, England)
Ji Dong-won (Augsburg, Germany)
Koo Ja-cheol (Mainz, Germany)
Lee Keun-ho (Sangju Sangmu)
Park Chu-young (Arsenal, England)
Kim Shin-wook (Ulsan Hyundai)
AFC QUARTERLY 39