South Korea’s Park to play on after retiring

South Korea’s coach Cho Kwang-rae had said at the Asian Cup last week that Park had retired from internationals, though the player had not said so himself.

The 29-year-old represented his country for 11 years, highlighted by the side’s semi-final finish at the 2002 World Cup finals co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.

“It’s been an honour to be playing wearing the national team uniform that I’d dreamed of as a young boy,” Park told a news conference in Seoul. “I think this is the best decision for myself and for the national team.

“I think I’ll be playing at least three or four more years,” he said, adding it would not be in internationals even if he were asked to represent South Korea at the World Cup finals.

Park captained South Korea at last year’s World cup finals in South Africa helping them reach the last 16.

In 2009, he became the first Asian to play in the Champions League final but ended on the losing side when Barcelona beat United 2-0 in Roma.