▁initially ▁intended ▁to ▁continue ▁in ▁his ▁position ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁A FC ▁Asian ▁Cup , ▁but ▁rel ented ▁and ▁res igned ▁under ▁heavy ▁media ▁pressure ▁along ▁with ▁several ▁K FA ▁associ ates ▁in ▁responsibility ▁for ▁the ▁fail ures ▁at ▁the ▁World ▁Cup . ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁ranked ▁ 6 9 th ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁their ▁worst ▁ever . ▁After ▁initial ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁Bert ▁van ▁Mar w ijk ▁broke ▁down , ▁the ▁K FA ▁appointed ▁U li ▁St iel ike ▁in ▁October ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁manager ▁with ▁a ▁contract ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup . ▁At ▁the ▁group ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Asian ▁Cup , ▁they ▁won ▁all ▁three ▁games ▁against ▁host ▁country ▁Australia , ▁K uw ait ▁and ▁O man ▁but ▁some ▁players ▁suffered ▁inj uries ▁and ▁had ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁tournament . ▁South ▁Korea ▁defeated ▁U z bek istan ▁in ▁the ▁quarter - final s ▁with ▁two ▁goals ▁from ▁Son ▁He ung - min ▁in ▁extra ▁time ▁and ▁advanced ▁to ▁semi - final s ▁for ▁the ▁t enth ▁time , ▁a ▁tournament ▁record . ▁They ▁defeated ▁Ira q ▁in ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁and ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁final ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁In ▁the ▁final , ▁South ▁Korea ▁faced ▁Australia ▁which ▁they ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁group ▁stage ▁but ▁lost ▁after ▁extra ▁time . ▁Despite ▁the ▁loss ▁in ▁the ▁final , ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁pra ised