Paik Seung-ho leaves South Korea national team to return to club
- Midfielder Paik Seung-ho has left the South Korean national team to return to Birmingham City FC, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on September 28.
- The KFA confirmed the move followed a series of meetings between Paik, the coaching staff, and the medical team.
- On September 27, striker Cho Gue-sung was released from the squad after missing a match against Ecuador.
Midfielder Paik Seung-ho has left the South Korean national team to return to Birmingham City FC, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on September 28. The decision comes as a second blow to the squad during the current international window, following the earlier withdrawal of striker Cho Gue-sung.
Medical priorities over match minutes
The KFA confirmed the move followed a series of meetings between Paik, the coaching staff, and the medical team. The consensus was clear: recovery took precedence over appearing in the remaining fixtures. The association framed the departure as a necessary measure for player protection.
It is a familiar pattern this month. On September 27, striker Cho Gue-sung was released from the squad after missing a match against Ecuador. Both the medical team and interim manager Roberto Moreno decided returning Cho to his club was the safest path forward.
A hollowed-out midfield
FC Porto’s Hwang In-beom has been omitted from the roster for two straight games, missing both the Ecuador clash and the subsequent match against Uruguay.
Later, Park Tae-jun from Gimcheon Sangmu was brought on as a substitute to plug the gaps.
Collapse at Seoul World Cup Stadium
On September 28, South Korea suffered a bruising 1-4 defeat against Uruguay in a friendly at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Appointed via a public recruitment process—a first for the KFA under Korean Sport & Olympic Committee regulations—Moreno is operating on a ticking clock. His basic contract expires on November 27.
The fight for a permanent contract
Moreno was hired to lead six matches between September and November. While the KFA included an extension option that could keep him in charge through the Asia Cup in January 2027, that future is conditional. The extension hinges entirely on an evaluation of performance and results across these six games.
Moreno’s tenure started with a complete victory in his debut. However, the Uruguay loss and a string of injuries have exposed deep defensive vulnerabilities.
Two fixtures remain in the September and October schedule: Venezuela in Ulsan on October 2, and Uzbekistan in Yongin on October 6.