Choi appointed new South Korea coach

South Korea have named Jeonbuk Motors manager Choi Kang-Hee as coach of the national team.

Choi replaces Cho Kwang-Rae, who was fired in early December after South Korea’s stunning 2-1 loss to Lebanon in the third round of World Cup qualifying for Asia.

The result meant that South Korea will have to beat Kuwait in their final match of the round in order to advance to the fourth and final group stage.

Korea Football Association technical committee head Hwangbo Kwan said Choi was the right man for the job.

“We looked at several options,” he said.

“But since the Kuwait match is only three months away we had to pick Choi Kang-Hee, who can adapt to the current team right away.”

Choi led Jeonbuk to the club’s second K-League championship, in addition to an appearance in the Asian Champions League finals in which they lost on penalties to Qatari side Al Sadd.

“He was always the first option for our technical committee,” Hwangbo told reporters on Wednesday.

“He was also optimistic about the opportunity, and Jeonbuk has allowed him to join the NT.”

Choi is a veteran of Korean football, both as a manager and as a player. Between 1988 and 1992 he earned 40 caps for the national team and has managed Jeonbuk since 2005, leading the club to two K-League titles and an ACL title in 2006.

South Korea sit first in Asia’s Group B with 10 points, but a loss to Kuwait and a Lebanon draw or win over UAE on February 29 would knock the Taeguk Warriors out of contention for a World Cup 2014 appearance.