The national soccer squad is gearing up for a new year in the wake of a series of frustrations, including failures at the 2006 World Cup and the Asian Games.

Korea has qualified for five soccer finals in the Olympics since 1988, and hopes to advance to the quarterfinals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Beginning with the second round of qualifiers for Asia on February 28th, the team will vie for a ticket to the Olympics until the end of the final qualifying round from August 22nd to November 21st.

Korea will also participate in the 2007 Asian Cup finals co-hosted by four Southeast Asian countries from July 7th to the 29th.

Korea is in Group D together with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia.

The national under-20 team will compete in the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Canada from June 30th until July 22nd. Korea advanced to the semifinals of the competition in 1983.

The women's soccer team will also have a shot at the Beijing Olympics, starting with a match against India on February 17th in the first round of regional qualifiers.