"I comprehensively assessed what role they could play."

The Korea Football Association held a press conference announcing the national soccer team roster on the morning of the 26th at 11 a.m. at the Korea Football Association Football Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul.

The national team, led by coach Hong Myung-bo, will face Iraq in the 9th match of the Group B of the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup at Basra International Stadium in Iraq on June 6.

After the match against Iraq, on the 10th, they will compete against Kuwait in the 10th match at Seoul World Cup Stadium. South Korea is currently leading Group B with 16 points (4 wins, 4 draws). They will qualify for the World Cup finals for the 11th consecutive time if they can manage at least a draw against Iraq.

South Korea has failed to secure early qualification after drawing three consecutive matches against Palestine (1-1), Oman (1-1), and Jordan (1-1). Notably, not winning in the two home matches last March had a significant impact.

Ahead of the main press conference, the 26-man roster was revealed. The team selected two forwards to take charge of the front line: Oh Hyeon-kyu (Henk) and Oh Se-hoon (Machida Zelvia), and 12 midfielders 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 (Khor Fakkan Club), Park Jin-seop (Jeonbuk), and Park Yong-woo (Al Ain).

For defense, they selected 9 players including Jo Yu-min (Sharjah), Kwon Kyung-won (Khor Fakkan Club), Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), Kim Joo-seong (Seoul), Park Seung-wook (Gimcheon), Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), Lee Tae-seok (Pohang), Jo Hyun-taek (Gimcheon), and Choi Jun (Seoul), and they chose 3 goalkeepers: Jo Hyun-woo (Ulsan), Kim Dong-hyun (Gimcheon), and Lee Chang-geun (Daejeon).

Players generating the most interest from fans include Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, and Lee Jae-sung, who play overseas. Kim Min-jae has been excluded from this roster due to injury, but Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in, Hwang Hee-chan, and Lee Jae-sung are all included without issue.

Concerns lie with Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan, who have significantly reduced playing time. Midfielder Lee Kang-in, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has participated in 45 official matches this season, including 30 league matches, scoring 6 goals and providing 6 assists, but he has frequently not started in recent games. He often did not play at all in the UEFA Champions League knockout matches and missed the Coupe de France final held on the 25th.

Hwang Hee-chan's situation is even more serious. He has struggled with frequent injuries and has been completely sidelined in the competition for the starting position at Wolverhampton. He has appeared in 21 league matches, mostly as a substitute, with total playing time limited to 649 minutes. He has appeared in 2 FA Cup matches and 2 EFL Cup matches, but his total playing time still remains at 868 minutes.

Coach Hong Myung-bo noted regarding Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan, who lack playing time with their club, "While playing time is very important, the national team must consider more than that."

Both players play key roles in the national team. Lee Kang-in has been responsible for leading the team's attack since the era of coach Jürgen Klinsmann, while Hwang Hee-chan scored the opening goal that changed the frustrating flow during the match against Oman last March. Notably, that goal was significant as it was created in collaboration between Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan.

Coach Hong Myung-bo explained the selection process, stating, "If there had been a rule to select players who have played for a certain number of minutes or more, it would have been easier to choose. However, I comprehensively assessed what role Lee Kang-in and Hwang Hee-chan could play in the current national team. While it would be easy to select players based solely on playing time, I see them as players who can contribute significantly during such challenging times."

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