[Editorial] Korean Squad Opened a New Chapter in Football History

The Korean football team, `a runaway train without a break` downed Spain and reached the last four. It is the first time in the 72-year history of the World Cup for an Asian team to advance into the semifinals. The match against Spain was Korea`s fourth consecutive game against topflight European competition after wins over Poland, Portugal and Italy. With the victories, the Asian football, which has been regarded as outsider, is taking a quantum leap forward. The whole nation is extending gratitude and congratulations to head coach, Guus Hiddink and 23 players.

Our team will face the three-time winners, the German team in a semifinal. But as Hiddink said, "Even I cannot stop my team.", the reputation of the German squad will not serve as a stumbling block to the Korean players, who have picked up steam.

It will surprise anyone anymore even if the Korean team would advance into the final match, which will be held in Yokohama. Instead, it will shed more light on the finale of the World Cup games, which is being held for the first time in Asia. The 47 million Korean people are hoping with one accord for their team to do their best until the World Cup ends.

But now winning or losing does not have much significance. The Korean team already surpassed its initial goal. The nation might fall into complacency with the back-to-back victories, losing a greater goal for the future. We are facing a number of challenges down the road. Most of all, the national support and a long-term plan to promote football should be ensued if we are to maintain momentum gained today through the future. It should not be overlooked given the power of football that can provoke wild enthusiasm among the public.

Another valuable achievement is the national energy exploded in the World Cup games.

The world stunned not only the team`s advancement into the semifinals. The world eyed the astonishing enthusiasm and orderliness of Koreans. Through the World Cup, we could have an opportunity to display our potential strength to the world..

Now we should turn the potential into a main engine behind the national prosperity. That is why we need new leaders. But what is happening in the political arena is humiliating. Politicians are obsessed in taking power. The President has been put in hot water due to corruption scandals involving his sons and lawmakers have failed to elect a parliamentary speaker at the National Assembly. The world-class national cohesion and energy is being marred by the third-rate politics. Advanced soccer and underdeveloped politics. That is where the nation stands.