Hwang Jae-won, who has become an integral part of Daegu FC, has earned his first ever call-up to the national team.
The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced the roster for the June 2026 North and Central American World Cup Asia Second Qualifiers against Singapore and China in a press release on Sunday.
The KFA and the Power Enhancement Committee, which initially promised to appoint a permanent head coach by May, switched to an interim system on June 20 with Kim Do-hoon as the 카지노사이트킴 A team’s head coach.
The coaching staff for the interim Kim Do-hoon regime was quickly finalized. Former Suwon Samsung head coach Park Gun-ha, coaches Choi Sung-yong and Choi Soo-hyung, goalkeeping coach Yang Young-min, and physical coaches Lee Jae-hong and Jeong Hyun-gyu joined the staff.
Interim coach Kim Do-hoon and his staff quickly began to overhaul the squad. Throughout the week and weekends, he traveled around the K League scene to finalize the roster.
For this 23-man roster, Kim made some unconventional choices. The core players Kim Min-jae, Cho Kyu-sung, and Seol Young-woo were excluded due to injuries and their aftermath, and a total of seven players earned their first taegeuk mark.
Hwang Jae-won, born in 2002, was also included in the call-up list and will be heading to the A team for the first time. Hwang turned professional in 2022 at the age of 20.
He showed promise in his first season, playing 40 games, and then showed even more improvement last season.
His consistent performances earned him a call-up to the age-group national team. Since 2022, he has been an integral part of the U23 team led by Hwang Sun-hong. He played a key role in the gold medal-winning performance at last year’s Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games and was a key player at the 2024 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U23 Championship last month and the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Asian Cup, a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This season, he has become a key part of Daegu’s core. Since Park Chang-hyun took over as head coach last month, Hwang Jae-won has played in his natural position of fullback, defensive midfield, and central defense. If Sejingya, Edgar, and Ko Jae-hyun are the mainstays of Daegu’s attack, Hwang Jae-won is the mainstay of Daegu’s defense.
Not long ago, Hwang Jae-won’s goal as a soccer player was to make the A team. “Failing to qualify for the Olympics was a big shock, and it was hard to accept, and I was disappointed. But what’s gone can’t come back. My role now is to do my best in Daegu,” he said. ”The age-group national team is over. “Now that the age group is over, I’m going to try to make the A team. I still have a lot of deficiencies, but I will learn and fill them one by one, and I think I will have a good chance,” he said.
About two weeks later, Hwang Jae-won, who said he would do his best, achieved his goal of making the A team. “I am so honored to be selected to the position I have always dreamed of. I think I was able to seize the opportunity because I had a lot of help around me and the unwavering support and encouragement from Daegu fans. I will not be complacent and will work harder.”
Looking back on when he heard the news of his selection, Hwang Jae-won said, “I saw my name on the article. I still can’t believe it and it feels like a dream. I can’t wait to get there and show my good form,” he said.
He also thanked the Daegu fans, saying, “From the moment I made my debut in Daegu in 2022 to now being named to the A national team, it was thanks to their enthusiastic support and encouragement. I am very grateful. I ask for your continued support.”
After the June 2 match against Daejeon Hana Citizens, Hwang will head straight to the national team. He will be competing for the same position with Choi Joon (FC Seoul), who he competed with at the Asian Games.
The addition of Hwang and Choi is a welcome one for the Korean national team, which has been struggling at the flanker position. Seol Young-woo (Ulsan HD), who can play on both the left and right flanks, has been a welcome addition to the squad, but without a partner and competition, he has been forced to continue playing despite his fitness issues.
However, without Seol, who is currently undergoing surgery for a shoulder injury, Hwang Jae-won, born in 2002, and Choi Jun, born in 1999, are stepping up to the challenge. Depending on their performances, they will be strong competitors for Seol in the future.