Hong Myung-bo (56), head coach of the South Korean national team, explained the selection process and results for the June A-match players.

The Korea Football Association held a press conference on June 26 at 11 a.m. at the Korea Football Association Football Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to announce the national football team roster.

The football team led by Coach Hong will face Iraq in the 9th match of Group B of the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup on June 6 at Basra International Stadium in Iraq. After the match against Iraq, they will face Kuwait in the 10th match at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 10th.

South Korea is currently leading Group B with 16 points (4 wins, 4 draws). Even a draw against Iraq will secure their 11th consecutive entry into the World Cup finals. South Korea has failed to secure an early entry to the finals after drawing three consecutive matches against Palestine (1-1), Oman (1-1), and Jordan (1-1). Especially, failing to win at home in two consecutive matches last March had a significant impact.

Before the formal press conference, the 26-member roster was announced. The team selected two strikers to lead the attack: Oh Hyun-kyu (Henk) and Oh Se-hoon (Machida Zelvia), and selected 12 players for the midfield including Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Jeon Jin-woo (Jeonbuk), Moon Seon-min (Seoul), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Kim Jin-kyu (Jeonbuk), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Won Du-jae (Kortrijk), Park Jin-seob (Jeonbuk), and Park Yong-woo (Al Ain).

In defense, nine players were selected: Jo Yoo-min (Sharjah), Kwon Kyung-won (Kortrijk), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Kim Joo-sung (Seoul), Park Seung-wook, Jo Hyun-taek (both Kimcheon), Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), Lee Tae-seok (Pohang). Three goalkeepers were chosen: Jo Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Kim Dong-hyun (Kimcheon), and Lee Chang-geun (Daejeon).

Coach Hong noted, "Considering the hot weather, physical burdens, and preparation time, we conducted the player selection this time. Our coaching staff prioritized performance and good form by position in selecting players. As you know, many players in Europe are on break after the end of their leagues. It’s true there were some difficulties in player composition."

He continued, "For example, players such as Bae Joon-ho, Eom Ji-sung, and Yang Min-hyuk have not been able to play at all this May after finishing a match on May 3, so we fully considered their performance aspects. The players have consistently been selected as resources for the future of Korean football, but this time, they unfortunately could not be selected."

Coach Hong stated, "On the other hand, Jeon Jin-woo, who was selected for the first time, and Kim Jin-kyu are both performing very well in their leagues and maintaining good forms. Therefore, I thought it was right to give opportunities to the players who are ready at this point."

The key defender Kim Min-jae has been excluded. Coach Hong explained, "Kim Min-jae was not selected this time. We have been in constant communication with him since last year, observing him closely, and determined that he is in a situation where he cannot play in this match."

He added, "Kim Min-jae carries a great sense of responsibility and mission for the national team, but we believe that he will have plenty of opportunities to spend sufficient time in the future, which is why he was excluded from this selection."

Next is the Q&A session from Coach Hong Myung-bo's press conference regarding the June A-match player selection.

Recently, the team has struggled against dense defenses. Will there be any tactical changes?

- As I mentioned last time, there are definitely ways to break through dense defenses. However, executing them will take time. We lacked in this area during matches from September to November last year and in March of this year. We're preparing countermeasures. The specifics of the match against Iraq are still uncertain, but we plan to maintain the tactical model we’ve established while sharing points of improvement with the players through video analysis. It's a part that must definitely improve.

Son Heung-min recently faced injuries and external issues. Were there any concerns during the selection process?

- The external factors are not within my area of involvement. I communicated with Son Heung-min after the Europa League final, and he assured me that there are no major issues with him participating in the matches. I believe his performance will not be affected, hence he was selected.

How did you communicate with Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan, who have had limited playing time at their clubs?

- Playing time is important, but the national team must look beyond that. I assessed what roles those players could contribute to the national team as a whole. If we had just focused on playing time numerically, it would have been easy, but I believe they are players who can play significant roles during difficult times.

You selected Jeon Jin-woo. What aspects did you consider, and how do you plan to utilize him?

- He showed impressive scoring ability and confidence in play in the K League. Early in the season, he made many breakthroughs on the wing, but recently, he has also performed well in the central pocket. Similarly, his multi-goal performance in the recent match (against Anyang) was notable. His position and tactical role are very similar to that of our national team, so I expect he will adapt well without issue.

I'm curious about the background for excluding Joo Min-kyu from the strikers.

- Joo Min-kyu's condition was not the reason for his exclusion. He has consistently scored in recent matches. However, we deemed that speed is more important in addressing the weaknesses of the opposing team in the upcoming match against Iraq. We made a balanced selection considering various options like Oh Se-hoon, Oh Hyun-kyu, Son Heung-min, and Hwang Hee-chan.

What is the current status of Son Heung-min's foot injury and what did communication entail after the Europa League?

- Son Heung-min has achieved great individual results over a long period, and I am very pleased and proud that he led his team to victory in the Europa League as captain. Regarding his foot injury, he played for about 20 minutes in the final and later communicated that there are no significant problems. We plan to utilize him considering the game situation and his condition.

It seems likely that they will qualify for the World Cup finals. What are the plans for the upcoming year?

- Personally, I have a clear plan in mind, but it’s not yet confirmed that we will qualify for the finals. The match against Iraq is indeed an important game with clear motivation for qualifying for the finals. I will share specific plans after achieving our initial goals.

With their qualification for the finals seeming likely, how do you plan to manage the players so they do not relax?

- The absence of European players and the inclusion of K League players is not about relaxing; it means we are selecting players with better condition and competitiveness at this point. In team sports, cohesion and trust are more important than talent. Success cannot come from talent alone. During this selection process, I felt that the players' strong determination was needed. We will strengthen this aspect to build a strong team.

There has been a change in the defensive midfielder position. What are the selection criteria?

- Until now, we played with the Hwang In-beom-Park Yong-woo combination, but due to yellow cards, we need to prepare for the next match. Won Du-jae and Park Jin-seob have different playing styles, and we will utilize them according to the game situation. I believe Kim Jin-kyu is the most competitive replacement for Hwang In-beom. The defensive midfielder position requires a lot of competition, and this time we selected players who are maintaining good conditions.

What is your view on the current level of completion of the national team and their competitiveness in the finals?

- I cannot say we are 100% completed. We've improved gradually but are disappointed that we could not achieve results in March. Overall, it is positive that we are spending more time together. It’s still difficult to evaluate our competitiveness in the World Cup finals, but it’s crucial that we continue to develop. It is most important for many players to maintain good condition and passion until next year's finals.

The away match in Iraq will not be easy. What are the preparations concerning the local environment and weather?

- Iraq is a strong team at home. I am grateful for the association's support such as charter flights. Given that hot weather is expected, we need to be cautious about player stamina management and substitution timing. With Iraq recently changing coaches, it is difficult to predict which players will be fielded. We will be as prepared as possible to respond to the situation.

June A-match roster (26 players)

GK: Jo Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Kim Dong-hyun (Kimcheon), Lee Chang-geun (Daejeon)

DF: Jo Yoo-min (Sharjah), Kwon Kyung-won (Kortrijk), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Choi Jun, Kim Joo-sung (both Seoul), Park Seung-wook, Jo Hyun-taek (both Kimcheon), Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), Lee Tae-seok (Pohang),

MF: Park Yong-woo (Al Ain), Park Jin-seob, Jeon Jin-woo, Kim Jin-kyu (all Jeonbuk), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz), Won Du-jae (Kortrijk), Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Son Heung-min (Tottenham), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton), Moon Seon-min (Seoul), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain)

FW: Oh Hyun-kyu (Henk), Oh Se-hoon (Machida Zelvia)

[OSEN]