FC ▁Asian ▁Cup ▁but ▁lost ▁against ▁Iran ▁after ▁extra ▁time . ▁South ▁Korea ▁won ▁all ▁six ▁games ▁until ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁Asian ▁Games ▁and ▁shared ▁gold ▁med als ▁by ▁drawing ▁with ▁North ▁Korea ▁in ▁the ▁final . ▁South ▁Korea ▁reached ▁the ▁final ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 8 - year - old ▁forward ▁Ch oi ▁So on - ho ' s ▁seven ▁goals ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁A FC ▁Asian ▁Cup ▁and ▁met ▁K uw ait , ▁who ▁they ▁defeated ▁ 3 – 0 ▁in ▁the ▁group ▁stage , ▁but ▁lost ▁ 3 – 0 ▁this ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁South ▁Korea ▁won ▁the ▁East ▁Asia ▁zone ▁competition ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁qual ification ▁with ▁two ▁wins ▁against ▁Japan ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁round ▁and ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁South ▁Korea ▁lost ▁ 3 – 1 ▁to ▁the ▁event ual ▁champion ▁Argentina ▁but ▁Park ▁Ch ang - sun ▁scored ▁the ▁first ▁South ▁Korean ▁goal ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁group ▁match . ▁They ▁drew ▁ 1 – 1 ▁with ▁Bulg aria ▁and ▁faced ▁the ▁def ending ▁champion ▁Italy ▁in ▁the ▁cru cial ▁last ▁match . ▁However , ▁South ▁Korea ▁lost ▁ 3 – 2 ▁in ▁a ▁match ▁that ▁caused ▁controvers y ▁in ▁South ▁Korea ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁ref eree ▁David ▁So cha '