▁ ▁Five ▁titles ▁and ▁six - time ▁run ners - up ▁in ▁Asia ▁( 1 9 5 0 s – 1 9 8 0 s ) ▁South ▁Korea ▁first ▁entered ▁the ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁qual ification ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁and ▁qualified ▁to ▁particip ate ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁by ▁defe ating ▁Japan ▁ 7 – 3 ▁on ▁aggregate ▁with ▁Ch oi ▁Ch ung - min ' s ▁three ▁goals . ▁South ▁Korea ▁became ▁the ▁second ▁Asian ▁team ▁ever ▁to ▁comp ete ▁at ▁the ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁after ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁Ind ies ▁( Ind ones ia ). ▁South ▁Korea ▁played ▁games ▁against ▁Hung ary ▁and ▁Turkey , ▁losing ▁ 9 – 0 ▁and ▁ 7 – 0 ▁respectively ▁( the ▁game ▁scheduled ▁against ▁West ▁Germany ▁was ▁never ▁played ▁because ▁neither ▁were ▁seed ed ▁in ▁their ▁group , ▁as ▁per ▁that ▁tournament ' s ▁rules ). ▁It ▁would ▁take ▁thirty - two ▁years ▁before ▁South ▁Korea ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁particip ate ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁final s ▁again . ▁ ▁The ▁K FA ▁joined ▁the ▁A FC ▁( As ian ▁Football ▁Confeder ation ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁South ▁Korea ▁won ▁three ▁silver ▁med als ▁consec ut ively ▁at ▁the ▁Asian ▁Games ▁( 1 9 5 4 , ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 2 ). ▁The ▁South ▁Korea ' s ▁ 5 – 0 ▁win ▁against ▁Iran ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁Asian ▁Games ▁is