Team profile

team underwent a massive shake up in their ranks with a concentration on youth for 2003 and the benefits were seen immediately with an impressive performance at the World Grand Prix.

Their sixth place finish was encouraging, despite failing to win a match in the Final Round. It was in Pool play where they showed some exciting potential, topping Pool B with four wins from five, including defeats over Russia and Brazil, with their only loss against eventual winners China.

The Asian Continental Championship displayed more of that exciting form when they finished third but still claimed a World Cup qualifying spot with China due to World Cup hosts Japan finishing second.

Speed and fighting spirit are the traditionally qualities of Korea and although their much taller opponents take a psychological advantage into each match due to Korea's lack of height (their tallest player being Kim Hyang-Suk at 191cm) it's the spirited defense and determination which sees Korea compete at the highest level.

Korea, currently ranked seventh in the world, has scaled the heights of a bronze medal at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 but more recently their results have tended to wane. A fact new head coach Kim Cheol-Yong is looking to address. Cheol-Yong and playmakers such as Kim Sa-Nee and Choi Kwang-Hee (the tournament's best scorer at the Asian Continental Championship) will be looked upon to lead Korea during this

World Cup campaign. Setter Sa-Nee has been inspirational in the past providing quality sets whi

le Kwang-Hee is Korea's most potent weapon on attack.

Life will be tough for Korea but they have the history and pedigree to be a force in this tournament.

Having played in every World Cup tournament they definitely know what is required and the advantage of having the tournament in Asia can not be underestimated.

Recent records

12th Asian Continental Championship in Vietnam (September)
Bronze medal play-off: Korea beat Thailand 3-1 (23-25, 25-12, 25-12, 25-14)
Semifinal: Korea lost to Japan 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-19)
Quarterfinal: Korea beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-14)
Korea beat the Philippines 3-0 (25-14, 25-10, 25-7)
Korea beat Kazakhstan 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-20)
Korea lost to China 3-1 (25-21, 25-13, 28-30, 25-21)
Korea beat Australia 3-1 (25-16, 20-25, 25-13, 25-13)

World Grand Prix (July-August, 2003)
Korea lost to Italy 1-3 (19-25, 17-25, 25-22, 13-25)
Korea lost to USA 0-3 (28-30, 21-25, 17-25)
Korea lost to the Netherlands 2-3 (25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 20-25, 20-22)
Korea lost to China 0-3 (17-25, 14-25, 23-25)
Korea lost to Russia 0-3 (15-25, 23-25, 16-25)
Korea beat Brazil 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-18)
Korea beat Thailand 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-10)
Korea beat Canada 3-1 (25-18, 18-25, 25-13, 25-23)
Korea lost to China 0-3 (27-29, 8-25, 23-25)
Korea beat Russia 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-18, 31-29)

World Cup results

1999 - Fourth
1995 - Fifth
1991 - Sixth
1989 - Seventh
1985 - Seventh
1981 - Fifth
1977 - Third
1973 - Third