Hong Myung-bo-ho’s national soccer team has replaced its right-handed defensive resources.
The Korea Football Association announced on the 8th that Kim Moon-hwan (Daejeon) was newly selected as Hwang Moon-ki (Gangwon), who was confirmed to have been injured, stepped down from the national team.
Hwang Moon-ki, who plays for Gangwon FC in the K League 1, injured his left thigh.
Coach Hong Myung-bo, who took the helm in July, selected Hwang Moon-ki not only in October but also during this November’s A-match, but due to a sudden injury, he called veteran fullback Kim Moon-hwan as a substitute.
Kim Moon-hwan was in charge of defending the national team’s right side during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which was led by former coach Paulo Bento.
Side defense is a position where coach Hong is deeply concerned.
Hong is a student who coached when he was the head coach of Ulsan HD in K League 1, and is expected to combine with other fullback resources with Seol Young-woo (Zvezda), who can take on both sides.
Hong Myung-bo is set to play the fifth and sixth rounds of the third Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup.
The national team, 안전놀이터 which will play an away match against Kuwait at 11 p.m. on the 14th, will play against Palestine in Jordan at 11 p.m. on the 19th, five days later.
Originally, Game 6 of the 3rd qualifying round was supposed to be held at the Palestinian home, but the venue was changed because militant Hamas and Israel have been at war for more than a year in Gaza, Palestine.