The new head coach of South Korea's national soccer team says his main goal is to get the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Choi Kang-hee spoke of his aim to reporters during a news conference in Seoul on Thursday. He said he will coach the national team up to the final preliminaries and then return to coach the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors even if South Korea reaches the World Cup finals. He added he believes a foreigner should coach the national team beyond the preliminaries.

Choi told reporters that he plans to have players currently competing in domestic teams rather than foreign teams play in an upcoming regional qualifying match against Kuwait in February.

If South Korea earns a spot in the 2014 World Cup finals, it would mark the eighth consecutive time for the nation to compete in the World Cup finals.