Seoul: The leading scorer in the South Korean league has earned his first national team call-up with the country on the verge of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Head coach Hong Myung-bo announced his 26-man squad on Monday for the Taegeuk Warriors' two remaining matches in Group B in the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. South Korea will play Iraq and then Kuwait to close out this phase.
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors forward Jeon Jin-woo, who is leading the K League 1 with 10 goals this season, made the senior national team for the first time at age 25. Thanks to his breakout performance, Jeon was voted the K League 1 Player of the Month for April.
Jeon is the only player on this iteration of the team to be called up for the first time, though three players, including FC Midtjylland defender Lee Han-beom, are looking to collect their first cap after receiving call-ups for earlier matches.
"He has the most goals in the Korean league and aside from his goal scoring, I think he is playing with a ton of confidence," Hong said at a press conference unveiling his squad. "His role has changed over the course of the K League season and I think he will be a great fit in the national team system. I also believe his confidence will rub off on the national team and give us some energy."
He is joined by some familiar faces, including captain Son Heung-min, fresh off a UEFA Europa League title with Tottenham Hotspur, and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, whose French club will play in the UEFA Champions League final this weekend.
Hong said he spoke with Son soon after the Europa League victory last week, and added he was happy for what Son has accomplished. "He has always done so well for himself individually, and for him to be captain of the team that won such a big title is something we should all be proud of," Hong said. "After a long season, there is no reward quite like lifting a trophy at the end. Hopefully, his victory will have some positive impact on the national team."
Son has been battling a foot injury in recent weeks. He played less than 30 minutes off the bench in the Europa League final and sat out Tottenham's Premier League season finale on Sunday. However, Hong insisted Son will be good to go for the national team.
Conspicuous by his absence on the backline is Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae, a longtime mainstay for South Korea. He has been battling an Achilles injury for most of the season and also missed two World Cup qualifiers in March.
Of the 26 players, 12 players are based in the K League 1, compared to nine K Leaguers for March. With European club seasons having recently ended while the South Korean league is in the middle of its season, Hong explained that he wanted to select players in midseason form over those who have been idle for weeks in Europe, including Swansea City midfielder Eom Ji-sung, Queens Park Rangers midfielder Yang Min-hyeok and Stoke City midfielder Bae Jun-ho.
All three youngsters were selected for the March matches but they have not played since their season in the second-tier English Football League Championship concluded on May 3. "I've picked those three players in the past because I think they will be important pieces for our future," Hong said of the England-based trio. "But I had to leave them off this time. We have some K Leaguers in fine form, and I felt it was right to give such players a chance to play at this moment."
South Korea will face Iraq in the southern Iraqi city of Basra at 9:15 p.m. on June 5 (3:15 a.m. June 6 in South Korea). Then South Korea will host Kuwait at Seoul World Cup Stadium at 8 p.m. on June 10. South Korea are leading their group with 16 points on four wins and four draws, three points ahead of Jordan. With the top two teams from each group punching their tickets to the World Cup, South Korea can clinch their spot with at least a draw against Iraq.
South Korea have played at every World Cup since 1986 in Mexico. They have had three straight 1-1 draws -- against Palestine in November and then against Oman and Jordan in consecutive matches at home in March. With the two recent draws, South Korea missed out on a chance to qualify for the big tournament early in front of home supporters.