Middlesbrough striker Lee Dong-gook is South Korea's only English-based star named in Pim Verbeek's 23-man squad for next month's Asian Cup. Manchester United's Park Ji-sung, Lee Young-pyo of Tottenham and Seol Ki-hyun of Reading are all recovering from knee or ankle surgeries. "I still think that we have a very interesting selection,'' Verbeek told AP.
"I still think we have all the chances to go to the semifinal and I still think we have to go for winning the Asian Cup ... I think we all know that winning the Asian Cup is not easy. It's a big challenge, a lot of strong opponents, but the challenge is to go there and win it,'' he said.
South Korea Squad: Goalkeepers; Jung Sung-ryong, Lee Woon-jae, Kim Yong-dae; Defenders; Kang Min-soo, Kim Chi-gon, Kim Chi-woo, Kim Dong-jin, Kim Jin-kyu, Oh Bum-seok, Song Chong-gug; Midfielders; Kim Do-heon, Kim Jung-woo, Kim Nam-il, Kim Sang-sik, Lee Ho, Son Dae-ho; Strikers; Cho Jae-jin, Choi Sung-kuk, Lee Chun-soo, Lee Dong-gook, Lee Keun-ho, Woo Sung-yong, Yeom Ki-hun.
"I still think we have all the chances to go to the semifinal and I still think we have to go for winning the Asian Cup ... I think we all know that winning the Asian Cup is not easy. It's a big challenge, a lot of strong opponents, but the challenge is to go there and win it,'' he said.
South Korea Squad: Goalkeepers; Jung Sung-ryong, Lee Woon-jae, Kim Yong-dae; Defenders; Kang Min-soo, Kim Chi-gon, Kim Chi-woo, Kim Dong-jin, Kim Jin-kyu, Oh Bum-seok, Song Chong-gug; Midfielders; Kim Do-heon, Kim Jung-woo, Kim Nam-il, Kim Sang-sik, Lee Ho, Son Dae-ho; Strikers; Cho Jae-jin, Choi Sung-kuk, Lee Chun-soo, Lee Dong-gook, Lee Keun-ho, Woo Sung-yong, Yeom Ki-hun.