Group B
Manager: Huh Jung-Moo
Star Player : Park Ji-Sung
Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 7
Best result: Semifinals (2002)
All-time record: 24 games played, 4 wins, 7 draws, 13 losses
Goals for: 22, Goals against: 53
Biggest victory: 2-0 vs. Poland in 2002
Biggest defeat: 9-0 vs. Hungary in 1954
Top scorer: Jung-Hwan Ahn (3 goals)
Most appearances: Hong Myung-Bo (16 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: 2002
LIVE STREAM SOUTH KOREA MATCHES :
June 12, 2010 @ 11:30GMT Group Stage Group B
South Korea vs Greece
at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium
June 17, 2010 @ 11:30GMT Group Stage Group B
Argentina vs South Korea
at Soccer City Stadium
June 22, 2010 @ 18:30GMT Group Stage Group B
Nigeria vs South Korea
at Durban Stadium
Short History KOREA REPUBLIC:
FIFA member since: 1948
Team nickname: Asian Tigers, Taeguk Warriors
All-time caps leader: Hong Myung-Bo (136)
All-time leading scorer: Cha Bum-Kun (55 goals)
Notable achievements: Asian Cup Champions (1956, 1960)
Legendary Player: A legend in Korean soccer, Cha Bum-Kun was voted Asian player of the century by the AFC (Asian Football Committee). He was a standout forward in the Bundesliga (German first division) in the 1980s, scoring 98 goals in 300 games.
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A 30-man squad was announced on May 12 and the final squad of 23 has to be submitted to FIFA by June 1
- Jung Sung-Ryong Goalkeeper 1.90m 85 kg January 4, 1985
- Kim Young-Kwang Goalkeeper 1.84m 80 kg June 28, 1983
- Lee Woon-Jae Goalkeeper 1.83m 82 kg April 26, 1973
- Cha Du-Ri Defender 1.81m 81 kg July 25, 1980
- Cho Yong-Hyung Defender 1.82m 72 kg November 3, 1983
- Kim Hyung-Il Defender 1.87m 83 kg April 27, 1984
- Kang Min-Soo Defender 1.84m 74 kg February 14, 1986
- Kim Dong-Jin Defender 1.83m 74 kg January 29, 1982
- Lee Jung-Soo Defender 1.85m 76 kg January 8, 1980
- Lee Young-Pyo Defender 1.78m 66 kg April 23, 1977
- Oh Beom-Seok Defender 1.82m 77 kg July 29, 1984
- Ki Sung-Yueng Midfielder 1.87m 79 kg January 24, 1989
- Kim Bo-Kyung Midfielder 1.76m 70 kg October 6, 1989
- Kim Jae-Sung Midfielder 1.80m 70 kg October 3, 1983
- Kim Jung-Woo Midfielder 1.83m 70 kg May 9, 1982
- Kim Nam-Il Midfielder 1.80m 75 kg March 14, 1977
- Lee Chung-Yong Midfielder 1.80m 75 kg July 2, 1988
- Park Ji-Sung Midfielder 1.75m 72 kg February 25, 1981
- Yeom Ki-Hun Midfielder 1.81m 76 kg March 30, 1983
- Ahn Jung-Hwan Forward 1.78m 71 kg January 27, 1976
- Park Chu-Young Forward 1.82m 70 kg July 10, 1985
- Lee Dong-Gook Forward 1.85m 72 kg April 29, 1979
- Lee Seung-Yeoul Forward 1.82m 72 kg March 6, 1989
Want To Know More About South Korea ? Read More:
Appearances at finals:
1954 - First round
1986 - First round
1990 - First round
1994 - First round
1998 - First round
2002 - Fourth place
2006 - First round
Overall record at finals: Played 24, Won 4, Drawn 7, Lost 13.
Best performance: Fourth in 2002.
Most appearances at finals: Hong Myung-Bo (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) - 16.
Most goals at finals: Ahn Jung-Hwan (2002, 2006) - 3.
World Cup high: Ahn Jung-Hwan's golden goal against Italy in the last 16 was the highlight of South Korea's fairytale run to the semi-finals on home soil in 2002.
World Cup low: South Korea's historic finals appearance in 1954 was over before it got going, with heavy losses to Hungary (9-0) and Turkey (7-0) sending them packing.
World Cup legend: Hong Myung-Bo played in four consecutive tournaments from 1990 to 2002, captaining the side in their World Cup on home soil and being named the third best player of that tournament.
The story so far: The South Koreans are the powerhouses of Asia when it comes to World Cups, having qualified for the past six tournaments leading into 2010, and seven in total. Qualifying for Switzerland 1954 was in itself was a solid achievement, but their campaign was ultimately unsuccessful.
South Korea struggled in all of their subsequent appearances until 2002 when the nation co-hosted the finals with Japan. Guus Hiddink worked his managerial magic as they progressed through the group stage by beating Poland and Portugal before eliminating Italy with a golden goal and then Spain on penalties in an unlikely march to the semi-finals.
Qualification: South Korea qualified comfortably through the tougher of two final groups in the Asian zone, confirming their status as a true heavyweight of the confederation alongside emerging Japan and new arrivals Australia. Having come through the previous group with neighbours North Korea undefeated, they remained unbeaten through the final round, beating traditional qualifiers Saudi Arabia away and conceding just four goals in eight games. Coach Huh Jung-Moo will be the first local to guide the team to the finals since 1998.
Qualifying record (final group stage): P8, W4, D4, L0, F12, A4, Pts16.
Most appearances: Lee Chung-Yong, Lee Keun-Ho, Kim Dong-Jin, Ki Sung-Yeung, Park Ji-Sung (7).
Top goalscorer: Lee Keun-Ho, Park Ji-Sung (3).
Team Profile SOUTH KOREA:
Asia's most frequent visitors to the FIFA World Cup™, Korea Republic are also the continent's most successful team at the showpiece event. The Taeguk Warriors will be hoping to translate their regional dominance on to the world stage again when South Africa 2010 kicks off.
The road to South Africa
Korea Republic may have qualified for their seventh consecutive world finals, but it was a bumpy ride this time. Despite a series of lacklustre performances in the third round, the South Koreans managed to top their group after two goalless draws with neighbours Korea DPR. The North Koreans proved to be their nemesis again in the final round, holding the Taeguk Warriors to a 1-1 stalemate in Shanghai. However, they bounced back in style with back-to-back wins over United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, before a crucial 1-1 draw with Iran in Tehran. A 1-0 home victory in the Korean derby followed, and the mission was accomplished with a 2-0 win against UAE on the road.
The star players
Park Ji-Sung has played a key role in Korea Republic's two previous FIFA World Cup campaigns and established himself as the captain of his country in recent years. The multifunctional winger of Manchester United is now an indispensible member of the Taeguk Warriors, with his ability to create space and chances for his team-mates.
A clinical forward, Park Chu-Young is widely tipped as the one to solve the problem in front of goal. After a below-par performance against Switzerland at Germany 2006, the Monaco marksman is eager to redeem himself in the national team as the No10 prepares for his second appearance at the showpiece event at the age of 24.
The coach
The appointment of Huh Jung-Moo in December 2007 put an end to the Dutch influence under the likes of Guus Hiddink and Dick Advocaat. Despite a sluggish start in the Asian Zone qualifying, the former Korea Republic midfielder silenced his critics by guiding his experimental side into the finals with two games to spare.
Having scored a goal against Italy at Mexico 1986, he is no stranger to this stage as he also took part in Italy 1990 and USA 1994 as fitness trainer and assistant coach respectively. Huh was an interim coach of Korea Republic twice before, and led the U-23 side at the Men's Olympic Football Tournament Sydney 2000.
Previous FIFA World Cups
Although Korea Republic were the first team to represent Asia at the FIFA World Cup in 1954, it took more than three decades for them to make their second appearance at Mexico 1986. While the South Koreans have become regulars to the tournament since then, a victory in the competition remaining elusive until 2002, when the co-hosts got off to a winning start with a 2-0 reverse of Poland, before beating Portugal 1-0 to reach the second round. They went on to defeat Italy and Spain to advance to the semi-finals, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. But their subsequent journey to Germany four years later came to a premature end, as the Taeguk Warriors made an early exit from the group stage.
Records
* Korea Republic are the most frequent visitors from Asia to the FIFA World Cup, and are set to make their eighth appearance this time in South Africa.
* The best result the Taeguk Warriors have achieved so far was at Korea/Japan 2002, where they swept past European powerhouses Portugal, Italy, and Spain to reach the last four.
What they said
"This will be the last chapter in my football life. I will put in all my energy to achieve good results in the World Cup," Korea Republic coach Huh Jung-Moo
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