Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Kim Bong-gil, formerly of Incheon United, has been appointed as the head coach of the Korea Republic U-23 squad.
Kim's major tasks next year are the AFC U-23 Championship in China and the Jakarta Asian Games.
Kim, 51, began his coaching career as an assistant with Incheon United in the K League Classic in 2008.
He served as the interim head coach in 2010 and 2012, before getting promoted to the full-time head coaching position during the 2012 season.
He was replaced in 2014 and is currently coaching Chodang University in Muan, South Jeolla Province.
Kim Ho-gon, the Korea FA's (KFA) technical director, said Kim Bong-gil was a players' coach who could work well with youngsters.
Kim Ho-gon added the new head coach will pick the rest of his coaching staff.
Korea Republic qualified for the AFC U-23 Championship 2018 after winning Group I of the Qualifiers in July.
The KFA will name a different head coach for the U-23 team that will attempt qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Asian Games and the Summer Olympics are limited to players aged under 23.
With two years between the Jakarta Asian Games and the Tokyo Olympics, the KFA said the core of the Korea Republic U-23 team will inevitably change and the Olympic squad will have a different boss at the helm.
"We'll name the coach for the Tokyo Olympics in December, after the K League season ends," Kim Ho-gon said. "We'll have more names in the pool by then."
Sources: Yonhap, AFC