S.Korea name new national football coach

South Korea said on Wednesday that Gyeongnam FC coach Cho Kwang-Rae will take over the national team.

The Korean Football Association said its technical committee unanimously approved Cho to replace Huh Jung-Moo.

Cho, 56, was a midfielder for the national squad in the 1970s and 1980s.

His contract will last until 2012, before the qualifying rounds for the Brazil World Cup in 2014 begin, committee chief Lee Hoi-Taek told reporters.

South Korea are scheduled to play a friendly against Nigeria on August 11 ahead of the Asian Cup in Qatar in January.

“It’s a great honour to be the national team leader,” Cho told Yonhap news agency Tuesday before his appointment was officially announced.

“I’m not scared of taking the helm of the national team. I’ve been working hard to be a good leader. I want to make a team that will bring joy to the Korean people.”

Huh, 55, announced his resignation after his team advanced to the second round of the World Cup in South Africa — South Korea’s best record on foreign soil at the tournament.