The South Korea national under-23 football team (; recognized as Korea Republic by FIFA, and Republic of Korea by IOC) represents South Korea at football in the Olympic Games and Asian Games. It was founded when the Olympic football was changed to an under-23 competition. It also can be managed as an under-21 or under-22 team if necessary.
History
Recent results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
2026
All-time results
+ Results by decadeYearMatches1991–1999Matches2000–2009Matches2010–2019Matches2020–presentMatchesTotal—
Coaching staff Current personnel
U21 Position Name Manager Kim Eun-jung Assistant coach Kim Tae-min Coach Lee Sang-don Goalkeeping coach Chung Yoo-suk
Manager history
No.ManagerYearCompetition(s)1 Kim Sam-rak 1991–19921992 Summer Olympics group stage2 Anatoliy Byshovets 1994–1996 1996 Summer Olympics group stage3 Huh Jung-moo 1998–20002000 Summer Olympics group stage4 Park Hang-seo 2002 2002 Asian Games bronze medal5 Kim Ho-kon 2003–20042004 Summer Olympics quarter-finals6 Pim Verbeek 2006–20072006 Asian Games fourth place7 Park Sung-hwa 2007–20082008 Summer Olympics group stage8 Hong Myung-bo 2009–20122010 Asian Games bronze medal2012 Summer Olympics bronze medal— Kim Tae-young 2012—— Chung Jung-yong 2012—9 Lee Kwang-jong 2013–20152013 AFC U-22 Championship fourth place2014 Asian Games gold medal— Choi Moon-sik 2015—10 Shin Tae-yong 2015–20162016 AFC U-23 Championship runner-up2016 Summer Olympics quarter-finals— Chung Jung-yong 2017—11 Kim Bong-gil 2017–20182018 AFC U-23 Championship fourth place12 Kim Hak-bum 2018–20212018 Asian Games gold medal2020 AFC U-23 Championship champion2020 Summer Olympics quarter-finals13 Hwang Sun-hong 2021–20242022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup quarter-finals 2022 Asian Games gold medal 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup quarter-finals— Myung Jae-yong 20242024 WAFF U-23 Championship champion— Choi Jae-young 2024—— Lee Chang-hyun 2025—14 Lee Min-sung 2025–2026 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup fourth place 2026 Asian Games gold medal15 Kim Eun-jung 2026–present Total—
Players Current U23 squad The following players were called up for the 2026 Asian Games.
Overage player.
Recent U23 call-ups The following players have also been called up to a South Korea under-23 squad within the last 12 months.
INJ Withdrew due to injury.WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.A Call up to A team.
Current U21 squad The following players were called up for the friendly matches against Australia on 3 and 6 October 2026.
Recent U21 call-ups The following players have also been called up to a South Korea under-21 squad within the last 12 months.
INJ Withdrew due to injury.WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.A Call up to A team.
Overage players Football at the Summer Olympics and the Asian Games have required that under-23 players enter the competitions, but they have allowed three overage players can be included in one squad. These three players are called the "Wild cards" in South Korea. According to South Korean laws, Olympic medalists and Asian Games gold medalists can be exempted from the military service, and so top-level players also compete for wild cards.
Olympics Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Lee Lim-saeng (DF)Lee Kyung-chun (DF) Ha Seok-ju (MF) Hwang Sun-hong (FW) Kang Chul (DF) Kim Sang-sik (DF) Kim Do-hoon (FW) Yoo Sang-chul (MF) Chung Kyung-ho (FW)— Kim Dong-jin (DF) Kim Jung-woo (MF)— Jung Sung-ryong (GK) Kim Chang-soo (DF) Park Chu-young (FW) Jang Hyun-soo (DF) Son Heung-min (FW) Suk Hyun-jun (FW) Park Ji-soo (DF) Kwon Chang-hoon (MF) Hwang Ui-jo (FW) Asian Games Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Lee Woon-jae (GK) Kim Young-chul (DF) Lee Young-pyo (DF) Kim Dong-jin (DF) Kim Do-heon (MF) Lee Chun-soo (FW) Kim Jung-woo (MF) Park Chu-young (FW)— Kim Seung-gyu (GK) Park Joo-ho (DF) Kim Shin-wook (FW) Jo Hyeon-woo (GK) Hwang Ui-jo (FW) Son Heung-min (FW) Park Jin-seob (DF) Seol Young-woo (DF) Paik Seung-ho (MF) Eom Ji-sung (MF) Lee Gi-hyuk (MF) Yang Hyun-jun (MF)
Records Statistics below are from matches which the KFA consider as official including non-international matches (against clubs, regional teams, and other KFA teams).
Most appearances
RankPlayerCapsGoalsCareer 1 Kim Do-heon 39 3 2002–2006 2 Kim Dong-jin 37 6 2002–2008 3 Lee Ki-hyung 36 7 1994–1996 Kim Jung-woo 36 2 2003–2010 5 Choi Tae-uk 34 8 2000–2004 Choi Sung-kuk 34 1 2002–2006 7 Choi Sung-yong 33 0 1994–1996 8 Choi Yong-soo 31 18 1994–1996 Moon Chang-jin 31 16 2013–2016 Cho Young-wook 31 14 2017–2023
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoalsCapsRatioCareer 1 Hwang Ui-jo 18 28 2012–2021 Choi Yong-soo 18 31 1994–1996 3 Lee Dong-gook 16 25 1999–2002 Moon Chang-jin 16 31 2013–2016 5 Cho Young-wook 14 31 2017–2023 6 Lee Dong-gyeong 12 18 2018–2021 Park Chu-young 12 30 2006–2012 8 Jeong Woo-yeong 11 20 2019–2023 Kwon Chang-hoon 11 25 2015–2021 Lee Chun-soo 11 28 1999–2006
Competitive record Champions Runners-up Third place Tournament played on home soil
Summer Olympics Football at the Summer Olympics was a senior tournament until 1988. Summer Olympics recordQualification recordYearRoundSquad1948–1988Entered with the senior teamEntered with the senior team 1992Group stage303022Squad131021364 1996Group stage311122Squad9810255 2000Group stage320123Squad7610242 2004Quarter-finals412188Squad8800120 2008Group stage311124Squad12831144 2012Bronze medalists623155Squad8440124 2016Quarter-finals4211124SquadVia AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2020Quarter-finals4202137Squad 2024Did not qualify Total Bronze medalists 30 11 11 8 46 35 8/9574411212319
AFC U-23 Asian Cup AFC U-23 Asian Cup recordQualification recordYearRoundSquad 2013Fourth place632183Squad5410233 2016Runners-up6411146Squad3300120 2018Fourth place631289Squad3210121 2020Champions6600103Squad3210163 2022Quarter-finals421165Squad3300141 2024Quarter-finals431062Squad220040 2026Fourth place622288Squad3300130 2028To be determinedTo be determined Total 1 title 38 23 8 7 60 36 7/7 22 19 3 0 94 8
Asian Games Football at the Asian Games was a senior tournament until 1998. Asian Games recordYearRoundSquad 1951–1998 Entered with the senior team 2002Bronze medalists6510172Squad 2006Fourth place640292Squad 2010Bronze medalists7502176Squad 2014Gold medalists7700130Squad 2018Gold medalists7601197Squad 2022Gold medalists7700273Squad 2026Gold medalists5500132Squad 2030To be determined 2034 Total 4 titles 45 39 1 5 115 22 7/7
Other competitions CompetitionRoundPldWDLGFGASquad 2024 WAFF U-23 ChampionshipChampions321042Squad
Head-to-head record The following table shows South Korea under-23s' head-to-head record against each foreign national team, as of 15 September 2026.
OpponentWin % Denmark XI Japan Universiade Paraguay XI Total
Honours Intercontinental Summer Olympics Bronze medalists: 2012
Continental AFC U-23 Asian Cup Champions: 2020 Runners-up: 2016
Asian Games Gold medalists: 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026 Bronze medalists: 2002, 2010
Regional WAFF U-23 Championship Champions: 2024
Friendly competitions Dunhill Cup Vietnam: 1999 Four Nations Tournament: 2000 (Australia), 2003 (South Africa) Qatar International Friendship Tournament: 2005, 2023 King's Cup: 2012, 2015 Panda Cup: 2025
Awards AFC National Team of the Year: 2012 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Fair Play Award: 2013, 2026
See also
Football in South Korea Korea Football Association South Korea national football team South Korea national football B team South Korea national under-20 football team South Korea national under-17 football team South Korea women's national football team
Notes
References
External links Official website