How they qualified:1st Place – 2022 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup

Notable honours:Olympic silver medallists (2000), 4x Asian Games gold medallists (1986, 1994, 2002, 2006), 5x Asia Cup gold medallists (1994, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2022), 4th place – FIH Men’s World Cup (2002, 2006). FIH Champions Trophy silver medallists (1999). FIH Champions Trophy bronze medallists (2000, 2009), FIH Hockey Nations Cup bronze medallists (2022).

Rank in previous WC editions:1998 – 8th, 2002 – 7th, 2006 – 4th, 2010 – 6th, 2014 – 10th.

After failing to qualify for the 2018 edition, Korea return to FIH Men’s World Cup action courtesy of a superb victory at the 2022 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup, where they defeated Malaysia in the competition final. Veteran defender Jang Jonghyun and Hwang Taeil contributed 11 goals to that title success, sealing Korea’s place back at the top table of international hockey.

The team have been involved in two high profile competitions in recent months, with Malaysia gaining a measure of revenge by defeating the Koreans 3-2 in the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in November. The Korea-Malaysia rivalry continued a couple of weeks later at the inaugural FIH Hockey Nations Cup, with evergreen 39-year-old captain Lee Namyong on the scoresheet as Korea recorded a superb 4-0 victory in the bronze medal game. While a bronze medal was not good enough for Korea to secure a berth in the next edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League, their solid performances at that competition in South Africa provided plenty of evidence that Korea are a team that should not be underestimated.

One to watch: Jang Jonghyun.An athlete with incredible longevity, 38-year-old defender Jang Jonghyun – top scorer at the recent FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup South Africa 2022 with seven goals – represented Korea as far back as the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. A brilliant penalty corner drag-flicker, Jang has scored more than 100 goals for his country and netted six times to help Korea claim the Hero Asia Cup in May-June 2022.