By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Both Seol Ki-hyeon and Cho Won-hee have made it clear they want to represent South Korea at the South Africa World Cup in June.
The former English Premier Leaguers both returned home this month in order to play first-squad football _ which they believe is the top priority when seeking national team selection _ in the K-league.
Seol, who played for Fulham and Reading during his four-year career in the English Premier League (EPL), agreed to a one-year contract with Pohang Steelers Sunday, a day after his contract with the Cottagers was cancelled with mutual consent. Cho, who joined Wigan Athletic last season, was loaned to his former club, Suwon BlueWings, on Jan. 2.
They might have spent their rest of their careers as Premier Leaguers, but their hopes of playing at the upcoming World Cup, scheduled to start on June 11, have brought them to the domestic league.
Korean team manager Huh Jung-moo said in a media interview in December that Seol and Cho need to maintain their games, playing on a regular basis, if they want to play for the national team in the quadrennial international competition.
"I told them to stay in game-fit, regardless of being loaned or moving to another team during the European training session (in November 2009),'' Huh said.
Seol, 31, who played in the last two World Cups and netted a late equalizer against Italy in the round of 16 in the 2002 event, has not been called up to the Red Devils of late due to a lack of playing time.
After joining Fulham in 2007, the Kangwon native appeared in 18 regular-season matches and notched just one goal.
"Seol was really firm on playing for the national team in what could be his final World Cup of his career,'' his agency said after he joined Steelers.