South Korea name preliminary 30-man World Cup squad

Posted Sunday, May 02, 2010 by BBC.com

South Korea's World Cup qualifying highlights

South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo has named two English-based players in his 30-man preliminary squad for this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung and Bolton winger Lee Chung-Yong were both named in the initial group.

But there was no place for ex-Fulham and Reading striker Seol Ki-Hyeon who is still recovering from knee surgery.

South Korea face Ecuador in a friendly on 16 May with the squad to be trimmed to 23 by Fifa's 1 June deadline.

Monaco forward Park Chu-Young is the other European-based player named in Huh's squad for the tournament in South Africa, which begins on 11 June.

"The Ecuador game is the last opportunity for the domestic players," said Huh. "We will also be checking the condition of the foreign-based stars.

"Seol hasn't been included because he hasn't played as he is still recovering and hasn't trained.

"Of course, it is regrettable for the players who haven't made the squad but those 30 players have the opportunity to play a big part for the national team."

South Korea's first match, in Group B, is against Greece in Port Elizabeth on 12 June, before they face Argentina in Johannesburg on the 17th and finally Nigeria in Durban on the 22nd.

South Korea squad:

Kim Young-Kwang (Ulsan), Lee Woon-Jae (Suwon), Jung Sung-Ryong (Seongnam); Kang Min-Soo (Suwon), Kwak Tae-Hwi (Kyoto), Kim Dong-Jin (Ulsan), Kim Hyung-Il (Pohang), Oh Beom-Seok (Ulsan), Lee Young-Pyo (Al Hilal), Lee Jung-Soo (Kashima Antlers), Hwang Jae-Won (Pohang), Cho Won-Hee (Suwon Bluewings - on loan from Wigan), Cha Du-Ri (SC Freiburg), Cho Yong-Hyung (Jeju); Koo Ja-Cheol (Jeju), Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic), Kim Bo-Kyung (Oita), Kim Nam-Il (Tom Tomsk), Shin Hung-Min (Pohang), Kim Jae-Sung (Pohang), Kim Jung-Woo (Gwangju), Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton), Kim Chi-Woo (Seoul), Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United); Park Ju-Young (AS Monaco), Ahn Jung-Hwan (Dalian Shide), Lee Seung-Ryul (Seoul), Yeom Ki-Hun (Suwon), Lee Keun-Ho (Jubilo Iwata), Lee Dong-Guk (Jeonbuk)