Korea ready to shake the world again

17/02/2002

SOUTH Korea made a late entry into the World Cup scene but their rise has
been meteoric, and they shook the world by claiming the silver medal in
the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Making an entry in the 1994 Sydney World Cup, South Korea finished
eighth with a hint of promise that they will soon become world beaters.
But four years later, in the 1998 Utrecth World Cup they again finished
eighth after beating Canada 4-2 with their star striker Seong-tae-Song
scoring all four goals.
Two years later, while hockey giants Australia, Pakistan, Holland and
Germany received intense media attention in the Sydney Olympics, the
robust Asian side made the final only to lose out in the penalty shoot-out
to Holland.
Enroute to the final, Korea drew 1-1 with Spain, 2-2 with Argentina, 2-2
with Poland, beat India 2-0 but lost to Australia 1-2.
South Korea, fired by its versatile striker Song Seung-Tae, emerged from
the shadows of their Asian rivals India and Pakistan to prove that their
third place finish at the 2000 Champions Trophy was no fluke.
"The Koreans will be hard to beat in the next few years," predicted
Pakistan manager Islahuddin Siddiqui after his team's 1-0 defeat to Korea
in the semifinal of the Sydney Olympics.
But the team for the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup is a diluted one and
the ginseng team are said to be in the transition of building a side for
the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In Group B with the hosts, Korea have decided to retain most of their
old hands Lee Jeong Seon, Song Seung Tae and skipepr Kang Keon Wook who
has 176 caps under his belt.
And unlike Malaysia who decided to parade a large number of juniors,
Korea only selected Yoon Seong Hoon, Seo Jong Oh and Kim Sam Seok from the
side which took part in the 2001 Junior World Cup in Hobart.
The Koreans meet Malaysia on March 1 and it is not an impossible task
for Malaysia to end up with three points because the Koreans lost some of
their zest after reaching their current all-time high in the Sydney
Olympics.
Their last placing in the recent Champions Trophy in Rotterdam speaks of
their slide, but with the Koreans, one never knows until the regulation 70
minutes are over.
FACTFILE
Focus on Korea
World Cup achievements: 1994 (Sydney) - 8th, 1998 (Utrecth) - 8th
World Cup appearance: Third time
Players to watch: Lee Jeong Seon, Song Seung Taw, Kang Keon Wook (pic
above).
Qualified: Sydney 2000 Olympics Silver Medallists/Asian Champion
The Squad: Lim Jong Chun, Kim Yoon, Kang Keon Wook (skipper), Shin Seok
Kyo, Lim Jong Chun, Kim Tong Bae, Yeo Woon Kon, Kim Jung Chul, Song Seung
Tae, Seo Jong Oh, Lee Jeong Seon, Yoon Seong Hoon, Yoo Moon Ki, Kim Kyung
Seok, Kim Sam Seok, Yang Soo Hyuk, Hwang Jong Hyun, Lim Jung Woo.
Coach: Kim Young Kyu
Manager: Jeon Jae Hong
(END)