Park Jong-woo explained

Park Jong-woo
Birth Date:10 March 1989
Birth Place:Seongnam, Gyeonggi, South Korea
Currentclub:Nongbua Pitchaya
Position:Central midfielder
Youthyears1:2008–2009
Youthclubs1:Yonsei University
Years1:2010–2013
Clubs1:Busan IPark
Caps1:96
Goals1:7
Years2:2014–2015
Clubs2:Guangzhou R&F
Caps2:34
Goals2:1
Years3:2015–2017
Clubs3:Al Jazira
Caps3:43
Goals3:1
Years4:2017–2018
Clubs4:Emirates
Caps4:21
Goals4:1
Years5:2018
Clubs5:Suwon Samsung Bluewings
Caps5:7
Goals5:0
Years6:2019–2024
Clubs6:Busan IPark
Caps6:90
Goals6:3
Years7:2024-
Clubs7:Nongbua Pitchaya
Caps7:-
Goals7:-
Nationalyears1:2007–2009
Nationalteam1:South Korea U20
Nationalyears2:2011–2012
Nationalteam2:South Korea U23
Nationalteam3:South Korea
Nationalyears3:2012–2017
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalcaps2:14
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalcaps3:15
Nationalgoals3:0
Pcupdate:12 December 2023
Ntupdate:10 October 2017
Hangul:박종우
Hanja:朴鍾佑
Rr:Bak Jongu
Mr:Pak Chongu

Park Jong-woo (Korean: 박종우; born 10 March 1989) is a South Korean football player, who currently plays for Nongbua Pitchaya as a midfielder. He has previously played for the Chinese club Guangzhou R&F and also in the UAE Arabian Gulf League for Al Jazira and Emirates. He has represented South Korea at age group and senior level, including the Men's tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and was part of the South Korean squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Club career

Park joined Busan IPark from Yonsei University for the 2010 K-League season.[1] Park's first appearance for his new club was in the K League 1, as a substitute in the 3–0 win over FC Seoul on 2 May 2010.[2] Since his debut, Park has established himself as a Busan regular, making several appearances in both 2010 and 2011. Park scored his first professional goal in a drawn match with the Chunnam Dragons on 21 August 2011.[3]

Park enjoyed a personally successful 2012 season, in which he became a key figure for Busan I'Park in central midfield. His performances ensured his inclusion in the South Korea squad for the London Olympics that summer.

Park continued his good form into 2013. On the opening day of the K League 1 season, during a 2–2 draw with Gangwon, he assisted Lim Sang-hyub's's opening goal, and later converted a penalty. On 7 August, Park scored the deciding goal, also from the penalty spot, in the 2–1 victory over FC Seoul in the quarter-final of the FA Cup, taking Busan into the semi-finals. Park was included in the official K League 1 Team of the Week on six occasions during the 2013 season.

On 13 February 2014, Park transferred to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F.[4] After a year and a half with the Chinese club, Park transferred to Al Jazira on 6 July 2015, on a three-year contract.[5] He was a regular member of the team that were crowned champions of the 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League.[6]

After one season with Emirates Club in the UAE Arabian Gulf League, Park transferred to Korean side Suwon Bluewings for the second half of the 2018 Korean season.

On 12 January 2019 Park signed for Busan IPark, the club at which he began his professional career.[7] Park was named Busan vice-captain for the 2019 season and was a regular starter as the club finished second in the league and achieved promotion to the K League 1. He contributed seven assists and was shortlisted for the K League 2 Bext XI. Park was named club captain for the 2021 season.

International career

Park was included in the South Korean squad for the 2012 London Olympics. He started all three group games as South Korea finished second in their group and advanced to the next round. In the quarter-final match with Great Britain, Park played the entire 120 minutes as the game went to a penalty shoot-out. Park scored the fourth penalty for Korea, who won the shoot-out 5–4. Park was an unused substitute in the semi-final defeat to Brazil, but returned to the starting line-up for the third place play-off victory over Japan, which ensured Korea were bronze medal winners.

After impressing as a midfield partner for Ki Sung-yueng at the Olympic Games, Park made his full international debut on 17 October 2012 in a World Cup qualifying defeat to Iran. He represented Korea in the 2013 East Asian Cup, and was also part of the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He was an unused substitute in all three group games as Korea were eliminated at the group stage.

Park returned to the national team squad after a three-year absence for the friendly games against Russia and Morocco in October 2017.[8]

London Olympics controversy

Although the International Olympic Committee prohibits players from making political statements, following South Korea's victory of Japan in the bronze medal match of the men's football, Park displayed the sign with a slogan of justification for Korea's occupation of the Liancourt Rocks, known as Dokdo or Tokto (독도, literally) in Korean, or in Japanese.[9] As a consequence he was banned from the medal ceremony and unlike his other 17 teammates he did not receive a bronze medal for his performance. It was also announced that he was under investigation by the International Olympic Committee and football's governing body FIFA,[10] both of which have rules that prohibit political statements by athletes on the field.[11]

South Korea exempts Olympic medalists from military service. Despite Park not receiving a medal due to his political statement South Korean sports minister Choe Kwang-shik stated that regardless of what the IOC investigation decides Park will still not be required to do the two years of military service that South Korean men are required to do.[12] FIFA failed to reach a conclusion on the case at a meeting at its Zurich headquarters held on 5 October, and the disciplinary committee discussed the case again on the following week,[13] then failed to reach a verdict again.

After that, the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) announced that Park would receive his bronze medal.[14]

However, the case was heard again by the committee on 20 November,[15] and FIFA finally decided and announced on 3 December to suspend Park for two matches after he was considered to have breached the FIFA Disciplinary Code and the Regulations of the Olympic Football Tournaments. FIFA also impose a warning on the Korea Football Association and reminded it of its obligation to properly instruct its players on all the pertinent rules and applicable regulations before the start of any competition, in order to avoid such incident in the future. The Korea Football Association was warned that should incidents of such nature occur again in the future, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may impose harsher sanctions on the Korea Football Association.[16]

On 11 February 2013, Park attended an International Olympic Committee disciplinary hearing at Lausanne, Switzerland. After the Disciplinary Commission reviewed Park's action at the Olympics, the IOC decided to give the player the medal he had been barred from collecting for several months.[17] Park was subsequently awarded his Olympic bronze medal, following a ruling by the International Olympic Committee over his celebration at the London Olympic Games.[18] [19]

Club career statistics

Updated 17 October 2022

Club performanceLeagueCupLeague CupContinentalTotal
Season Club LeagueApps GoalsApps GoalsApps GoalsApps GoalsApps Goals
South KoreaLeagueKFA CupLeague CupAFCTotal
2010Busan IParkK League 11200010--130
20112522050--322
201228300--283
2013K League 131231--343
ChinaLeagueChinese FA CupAFCTotal
2014Guangzhou R&FCSL23110--241
20151100060170
UAELeagueUAE League CupSuper CupAFCTotal
2015/16Al Jazira ClubArabian Gulf League2315070351
2016/17200501040300
2017/18Emirates211300000241
South KoreaLeagueKFA CupPlay-offsAFCTotal
2018Suwon BluewingsK League 1702020110
2019Busan IParkK League 23320000332
2020K League 11912100212
2021K League 260000060
20222901000300
202330100040
Country South Korea19310112602021212
China3411060411
UAE64213010110892
Total291132527019034215

Notes and References

  1. News: K-League player profile . kleague.com .
  2. News: Busan I'Park vs. FC Seoul 3 - 0 . soccerway.com.
  3. News: Chunnam Dragons vs. Busan I'Park 1 - 1 . soccerway.com.
  4. http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2014-02-13/16087018795.shtml 富力官方宣布签韩国国脚后腰
  5. News: Passela . Amith . Al Jazira sign Korean defender Park Jong-woo . 29 January 2020 . The National . 6 July 2015.
  6. News: Arabian Gulf League: Al Jazira claim title in style . 29 January 2020 . Goal . 30 April 2017.
  7. Web site: '친정' 부산 복귀한 박종우, 승격으로 다시 영광 이루고파. 13 January 2019.
  8. Web site: Yonhap News Agency.
  9. Staff Seoul and Tokyo hold island talks BBC, 20 April 2006.
  10. Huffington Post South Korea Soccer Player Should Be Banned From Olympics Medal Ceremony For Flag Slogan, Says IOC Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  11. The NY Times South Korean Denied Medal Over Politics 11 August 2012 Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  12. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/sports/olympics/2012/08/15/350973/S-Korea.htm
  13. News: FIFA puts off ruling on S. Korean . theStarOnline . 2012-10-06 . 20 November 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103171525/http://football.thestar.com.my/2012/10/06/fifa-puts-off-ruling-on-s-korean/ . 3 November 2012 . dead.
  14. News: Jong-woo to receive medal. https://archive.today/20130102220438/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1208886/south-korean-park-jong-woo-to-receive-delayed-olympic-medal?cc=5739. dead. 2 January 2013. ESPN Soccernet. 31 October 2012. 9 November 2012.
  15. News: FIFA to hear case over South Korea Olympic protest . Brian Homewood . Reuters. 20 November 2012 . 20 November 2012 .
  16. Web site: Korea Republic's Park Jongwoo suspended for two matches . https://web.archive.org/web/20121209080152/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/footballgovernance/news/newsid=1961664/ . dead . 9 December 2012 . FIFA . 3 December 2012.
  17. News: Footballer Park Jong-woo to receive long-awaited Olympic medal: IOC. Yonhap News Agency. 12 February 2013. 14 February 2013.
  18. Web site: Head of S. Korean Olympic body returns with bronze medal for footballer. Yonhap News Agency. 14 February 2013.
  19. News: Bronze delivered to Park Jong-Woo. ko. Newsis. 15 February 2013.