). ▁ ▁South ▁Korea ▁co - host ed ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁tournament ▁with ▁Japan . ▁They ▁had ▁never ▁won ▁a ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁previously ▁but ▁the ▁South ▁Korean ▁team ▁achieved ▁their ▁first ▁ever ▁victory ▁in ▁a ▁World ▁Cup ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 – 0 ▁victory ▁against ▁Poland ▁when ▁the ▁tournament ▁began . ▁Their ▁next ▁game ▁was ▁against ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁ 1 – 1 ▁draw , ▁with ▁stri ker ▁A hn ▁Jung - h wan ▁scoring ▁a ▁late ▁game ▁equal izer . ▁Their ▁last ▁game ▁was ▁against ▁the ▁fav ored ▁Portuguese ▁side . ▁Portugal ▁earned ▁two ▁red ▁cards ▁in ▁the ▁match , ▁reducing ▁them ▁to ▁nine ▁men ▁and ▁Park ▁Ji - s ung ▁scored ▁the ▁winning ▁goal ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 – 0 ▁victory , ▁allowing ▁the ▁South ▁Korean ▁team ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁their ▁history . ▁The ▁team ' s ▁success ▁led ▁to ▁w ides p read ▁eu ph oria ▁from ▁the ▁South ▁Korean ▁public , ▁with ▁many ▁people ▁joining ▁the ▁Red ▁Dev ils , ▁which ▁gained ▁w ides p read ▁attention ▁with ▁their ▁passion ate ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁team . ▁ ▁South ▁Korea ' s ▁second ▁round ▁oppon ents ▁were ▁Italy , ▁who ▁they ▁defeated ▁ 2 – 1 . ▁The ▁South ▁Korean ▁team ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁early ▁penalty ▁but ▁A hn ▁Jung - h wan ' s ▁effort ▁was ▁saved ▁by ▁Italian ▁ke eper ▁Gian lu igi ▁Buff on . ▁Christian