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Korean women's football team announces squad for Pink Ladies Cup

Published: 10 Feb. 2025, 14:50 Updated: 10 Feb. 2025, 18:00

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

The Korean women's football team takes the field before the match against Canada at the Pinatar Arena Football Center in Spain on Dec. 3, 2024. [KOREA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION]

Korean women’s football team manager Shin Sang-woo announced his 26-player roster on Monday for the upcoming Pink Ladies Cup, calling up nine new faces to the squad.

The nine newbies join a squad that also includes eight players from overseas. The competition will kick off in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Feb. 20, taking place during the international break.

Four defenders, Seo In-gyeong of Mungyeong Sangmu, Shin Na-yeong of Lexington, Lee Deok-ju of the Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels and Jo Min-ah of Sejong Sports are receiving their first calls for national duty. Completing the defensive lineup are Kim Jin-hui of Gyeongju KHNP, Kim Hye-ri of Wuhan Jiangda, Lee Yu-jin of Suwon FC, Lim Seon-hoo of the Red Angels and Jang Seul-gi of Gyeongju.

Over in the forward lineup, Choi Da-kyeong of Hwacheon KSPO and Park A-hyun of the Red Angels, Jeong Da-bin and Choi Han-bin of Korea University have made it into the national team for the first time, joining veteran forwards Choe Yu-ri of Birmingham City, Choo Hyo-joo of Ottawa Rapid and Choi Yoo-jung of Hwacheon.

The midfield includes one new pick, Kim Myeong-jin of the Red Angles, along with Kim Shin-ji of AS Roma, Bae Ye-bin of the Red Angels, Lee Geum-min of Birmingham, Lee Young-ju of Levante Badalona and Korea’s most-capped player Ji So-yun of Seattle Reign.

Fellow veteran Cho So-hyun of Birmingham did not make it into the roster this time.

Three goalkeepers, Kim Kyeong-hee of Suwon, Kim Min-jung of the Red Angels and Ryu J-su of Sejong, complete the rest of the squad.

The Taeguk Ladies based in Korea will jet off to the UAE on Feb. 16 ahead of the Pink Ladies Cup, which will serve as a preparatory tournament for the 2026 Asian Cup.

This will be the first time Korea competes in the Pink Ladies Cup, which started in 2024. The tournament will not have a knockout stage.

Each country will instead play three matches, with the team with the most points at the end taking the championship title. Goal difference will be the second deciding factor in the event for teams that are tied on points.

Korea first face Uzbekistan on Feb. 20, before their clashes against Thailand on Feb. 23 and India on Feb. 26.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]