Video Uruguay 2-1 South Korea (World Cup 2010 - 1/8 Final)

2010.06.26 (15h00) - Uruguay 2-1 South Korea (World Cup 2010 - 1/8 Final)

South Korean sights on semis

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Korea Republic have reached the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time on foreign soil but coach Huh Jung-Moo and his players have no intention of simply settling for that.

The Koreans rode their luck and held Nigeria to a 2-2 draw yesterday, a result that saw them finish second in Group B behind Argentina. The Taegeuk Warriors now take on Uruguay in the knock-out round on Saturday in Port Elizabeth.

"I think my players will not settle with just reaching the last 16," said Huh. "My players would like to reach the semi-finals. I believe the group phase was the most difficult and from now on, it's a 50-50 chance of going through. We have to take it one game at a time. We can't predict what will happen but I know that my players will want higher targets."

North Koreans' youngest Pak

 

Pak Sung-Hyok emerged as a surprise inclusion when he was named in Korea DPR's final squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ in preference to some of the Chollima’s established stars.

Pak, who turned 20 this May, remains a relatively unknown quantity even to those who have followed Korea DPR closely over recent years, with the youngster boasting precious little international experience. He missed out on the Chollima’s qualifying campaign for South Africa 2010 and was also conspicuous by his absence from the national B team which won February's AFC Challenge Cup.

Team Squad List 2010 - Korea DPR

Nr.	Name	Date of Birth	Position	Clubs	Height
1	RI Myong Guk	09/09/1986	GK	Pyongyang City (PRK)	187
2	CHA Jong Hyok	25/09/1985	DF	Amrokgang (PRK)	178
3	RI Jun Il	24/08/1987	DF	Sobaeksu (PRK)	178
4	PAK Nam Chol	02/07/1985	MF	April 25 (PRK)	172
5	RI Kwang Chon	04/09/1985	DF	April 25 (PRK)	183
6	KIM Kum Il	10/10/1987	MF	April 25 (PRK)	170
7	AN Chol Hyok	27/06/1987	FW	Rimyongsu (PRK)	178
8	JI Yun Nam	20/11/1976	DF	April 25 (PRK)	172
9	JONG Tae Se	02/03/1984	FW	Kawasaki Frontale (JPN)	181
10	HONG Yong Jo	22/05/1982	FW	FK Rostov (RUS)	174
11	MUN In Guk	29/09/1978	MF	April 25 (PRK)	167
12	CHOE Kum Chol	09/02/1987	FW	April 25 (PRK)	178
13	PAK Chol Jin	05/09/1985	DF	Amrokgang (PRK)	184
14	PAK Nam Chol	03/10/1988	DF	Amrokgang (PRK)	183
15	KIM Yong Jun	19/07/1983	MF	Pyongyang City (PRK)	182
16	NAM Song Chol	07/05/1982	DF	April 25 (PRK)	178
17	AN Yong Hak	25/10/1978	MF	Omiya Ardija (JPN)	182
18	KIM Myong Gil	16/10/1984	GK	Amrokgang (PRK)	181
19	RI Chol Myong	18/02/1988	MF	Pyongyang City (PRK)	173
20	KIM Myong Won	15/07/1983	GK	Amrokgang (PRK)	180
21	RI Kwang Hyok	17/08/1987	DF	Kyonggongop (PRK)	178
22	KIM Kyong Il	11/12/1988	MF	Rimyongsu (PRK)	174
23	PAK Sung Hyok	30/05/1990	MF	Sobaeksu (PRK)	175

Coach: KIM Jong Hun (PRK)

Coach 2010 - Korea DPR

• Name: KIM Jong Hun
• Country: Korea DPR
• Date of Birth: 1 September 1956

Despite guiding Korea DPR to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, coach Kim Jong-Hun remains an unfamiliar figure on the international scene. Indeed, little is known about Hun’s playing career, where served as a defender for both club and country, other than the fact he featured in four FIFA World Cup qualifying matches for Germany 1974 and Mexico 1986. However, his achievement in moulding an inexperienced group into one of Asia’s most competent sides has earned him an undisputed place among the continent’s elite tacticians.

A former mainstay in the back line with local giants April 25 Sports Group, Kim opted to stick with the club after hanging up his boots, switching to the coaching staff of domestic giant. He proved an eager learner during his apprenticeship, finishing an athletic course at a local university before taking part in coaching courses.

Kim quickly established himself as a highly respected strategist on the home front and assumed the reins of the national team in 2007, charged with the task of leading the team through Asia’s qualifying campaign for the South Africa 2010. This indeed was a tall order for both Kim and his team given the nation’s 44-year absence from the FIFA World Cup. However, with a host of talented players coming through the ranks, the coach aimed to make up for their lack of international experience with a tactical approach.

In attempting to qualify for Germany 2006 a rampant Korea DPR stormed into Asia’s final qualifying round where they displayed attacking football against the continent’s best. Entertaining they may have been, but the Chollima lost five straight matches to receive the wooden spoon. Taking into account the past lessons, Kim embarked on a revolution within the national team switching their offensive game plans into more pragmatic strategies.

One of his key tactics was shoring up the rearguard by deploying a five-man defensive line, with Ri Jun-Il more withdrawn as the sweeper, a role coach Kim used to play for the national team during his playing years. His new formation proved an instant success during the 2008 East Asian Football Federation(EAFF) Championship when an unfancied Korea DPR drew both Korea Republic and Japan only to lose to hosts China in the closing game.

With Kim pulling the strategic threads, Korea DPR went on to impress in the subsequent third round of qualifying for the South Africa 2010, finishing the only team to have conceded zero goal as they marched into the concluding round, where they held off the likes of Iran and Saudi Arabia to take one of Asia’s four automatic qualifying slots.

Born in September of 1956, coach Kim was a nine-year-old during his country’s fairy-tale run-up to the last eight in their FIFA World Cup debut at England 1966. 44 years on, the man responsible for taking Korea DPR to their second appearance at the world football’s extravaganza is just keen to emulate their old feat.

Team Profile 2010 - Korea DPR

Profile

Korea DPR seemingly came from nowhere to storm into the Asian Zone's final round of qualifying, where they defied sizeable odds to take one of the continent's four automatic spots at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. In a sense they lived up to their long-standing reputation as Asia's surprise packages, their qualifying success marking a return to world football's top table for the first time since going all the way to the last eight in 1966.

After spending nearly 30 years in wilderness, the past decade saw the revival of the nation's footballing fortunes. With their women's football teams running riot at all levels on the international scene, the men's side came close to qualifying for Germany 2006 before successfully negotiating the road to South Africa 2010.

The road to South Africa
To reach the 2010 showpiece, Korea DPR went through a gruelling qualifying campaign spanning 20 months and a whopping 16 games. They made light work of Mongolia in the Asian Zone's first qualifying round, winning both home and away to earn a bye to the third round as one of the 11 highest-ranked first-round winners. Once there, they finished second in their group behind southern neighbours Korea Republic to qualify for the final round.

There they got off to a brilliant start by defeating UAE 2-1, before holding Korea Republic to a 1-1 draw. Despite losing to Iran 2-1 in the next game, they bounced back with a 1-0 home win against Saudi Arabia. Even a 1-0 loss to Korea Republic did not dent their chances too badly, followed as it was with a draw against Iran which kept them in second place. Needing just a point against Saudi Arabia in the closing game to qualify, they bravely held on for a goalless draw to seal their passage.

The star players
Two-thirds of the squad come from domestic clubs, though their small overseas-based contingent are vital cogs in the Korean machine. FC Rostov's Hong Yong-Jo was in lethal form up front, the 27-year-old goalgetter scoring four times in as many games. Playing alongside him is Japan-based Jong Tae-Se, who has the power and pace to breach any rearguard. Home-based midfielder Mun In-Guk is the man who makes the team tick, while keeper Ri Myong-Guk's safe hands and agility can be relied upon between the sticks.

The coach
Coach Kim Jong-Hun was only ten years old when the Chollima made history at England 1966 and now, 43 years on, he was the man who guided them back to the pinnacle of world football. Given his squad largely consists of domestic-based players lacking in international experience, the strategist favours a pragmatic and defensive approach based around discipline and teamwork.

Previous FIFA World Cups
Going into the global showpiece as debutants in England in 1966, the unfancied East Asians undid European heavyweights Italy with a single-goal victory to march into the quarter-finals. In what remains one of the all-time classic encounters in FIFA World Cup history, they flew into a three-goal lead against Portugal within 25 minutes, only for Eusebio to go on to strike no fewer than four times in a 5-3 comeback win for the Selecção das Quinas.

Records

• Korea DPR reached the last eight in their last and only previous appearance at the finals of a FIFA World Cup.

What they said
"It was as a result of our hard work that we will return to the World Cup, 44 years after we reached last eight at England 1966. We are likely to meet European teams once more at South Africa 2010 and I hope we can repeat the feats of our predecessors." Korea DPR head coach Kim Jong-Hun

source: fifa.com

Korea DPR national football team-Custom

Korea DPR

Nickname(s)	Choilima
Association	DPR Korea Football Association
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Head coach	Kim Jong-Hun
Captain	Hong Yong-Jo
Home stadium	Kim Il-Sung Stadium
FIFA code	PRK
FIFA ranking	105

Korea DPR national football team

The national football team of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (recognized as Korea DPR by FIFA) is the national team of North Korea and is controlled by the DPR Korea Football Association. The team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup twice; in 1966, where they reached the quarter-finals, and for the forthcoming competition in 2010. Korea DPR have qualified for the AFC Asian Cup three times; in 1980, when they finished fourth, in 1992 and in 2011. The current team is composed of both native North Koreans and Zainichi Koreans born in Japan.