The national soccer team will play friendly games against tough teams next year in preparation for the World Cup finals in Germany.

South Korea will play the United Arab Emirates on January 18 in Dubai, then move to Saudi Arabia to face Greece three days later and Finland on January 25th in an invitational tournament.

Greece, the surprise winner of the 2004 European Championship, is ranked 16th in the world and Finland is 46th.

More tests await South Korea in Hong Kong on January 26. The team will play 20th-ranked Croatia, 13th-ranked Denmark and Hong Kong in the Carlsberg Cup.

In February, the team will fly to Los Angeles for games versus the United States, the pro American team Los Angeles Galaxy, Costa Rica and Mexico.

South Korea is in the World Cup's Group G with France, Switzerland and Togo.