South Korea's U20 Asian Cup squad selection's impact on U22 rule

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K League United

·6 February 2025

South Korea's U20 Asian Cup squad selection's impact on U22 rule

The South Korea squad for the forthcoming AFC U-20 Asian Cup in China has been announced. There are 23 players selected, 12 from K League 1 teams and nine from K League 2 which means the U22 rule is impacted.

K League teams with players selected for the U-20 Asian Cup are usually granted exemptions from the U22 rule. The specifics of the exemption would depend on the number of U22 players called up from each team:

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One U22 Player Called Up: The team is not required to start a U22 player but has to include at least one U22 player on the bench. If this bench player was utilized during the match, the team is permitted to make up to five substitutions.
Multiple U22 Players Called Up: The team is exempt from both starting a U22 player and including one on the bench.

This means that Daejeon (3), Pohang (2), Daegu (3), and FC Seoul (2) should not be required to field a U22 player or name one on the bench for the first two or three rounds of the K League 1 season, Suwon Bluewings (2) and Bucheon FC 1995 (2) for the first week of the K League 2 season.

The rest of the teams that have one player called up would still need to name a U22 player on the bench: Cheonan City, Seoul E-Land, and Incheon United in K League 2, and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Gangwon FC in K League 1.

The tournament will begin on February 12th and run until March 1st. K League 1 will head into Round 3 on the day of the final while K League 2 will have reached Round 2.

South Korea have been drawn into Group D alongside Japan, Syria, and Thailand.

Full Squad

Goalkeepers

Kim Min-su (Daejeon Hana Citizen), Park Sung-young (Daegu FC), Hong Sung-min (Pohang Steelers)

Defenders

Kim Seo-jin (Cheonan City), Kim Hyeon-woo (Seoul E-Land), Bae Hyeon-seo (FC Seoul), Shin Min-ha (Gangwon FC), Sim Yeon-won (Daegu FC), Lee Kun-hee (Suwon Bluewings), Lee Ye-chan (Bucheon FC 1995), Cho Hyun-woo (Daejeon Hana Citizen)

Midfielders

Kang Ju-hyeok (FC Seoul), Kim Gyeol (Gimpo FC), Kim Ho-jin (Yongin University), Park Seung-soo (Suwon Bluewings), Baek Min-kyu (Incheon United), Sung Shin (Bucheon FC 1995), Son Seung-min (Daegu FC), Yoon Do-young (Daejeon Hana Citizen), Lee Chang-woo (Pohang Steelers), Jin Tae-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)

Forwards

Kim Tae-won (Portimonense SC), Heo Jung-woo (Seongnam FC)

South Korea's U20 Asian Cup Fixtures

14th February, vs. Syria17th February, vs. Thailand20th February, vs. Japan