Korea & FIFA World Cup

The Korea Society

November 22, 2022 - South Korea holds the proud distinction of being the first independent Asian country to participate in a FIFA World Cup tournament in 1954. Still, Korea's success in soccer is forever linked with the 2002 World Cup: while co-hosting the tournament with Japan, Korea became the first team outside of Europe and America to reach the semi-finals. That event propelled Korea to the next stage in the world of soccer, as it became a home of world-class players, a robust professional soccer league, and the most dedicated fans.

On the eve of Korea's eleventh total and tenth consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance in Qatar, join us for a conversation with Steve Han about the history of soccer in Korea.

Steve Han is a journalist specializing in sports and entertainment. He is currently a chief editor for Korea at soccer editorial agency Ganassa, writing for FIFA+, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund. In addition to a 14-year career as a football writer at Goal between 2008 and March 2022, he has also freelanced for various publications, including FourFourTwo and Sports Chosun, and has appeared on BBC World News and Sky Sports.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1633-korea-fifa-world-cup