Soccer-Korea defender Cha plans to go out on a high at Asian Cup

SEOUL, Dec 1 (Reuters) - South Korea's Cha Du-ri plans to retire from international football after the upcoming Asian Cup in Australia, the veteran full back said on Monday. The 34-year-old made his full international debut in 2001 as a rampaging right winger, playing a part in the Koreans' run to the 2002 semi-finals under Guus Hiddink, and earned himself a return to the national team after switching to defence. Cha was left out of the squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where South Korea failed to win a match and were eliminated from the group stage after gaining just one point. "The Asian Cup will be the last competition for me as a player for the national team," Cha said at the K-League annual awards ceremony on Monday. "A lot of people were disappointed because of the World Cup, but this is a chance for us to show a different side of South Korean football," he was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. Cha's pace and aggression has impressed new Korea coach Uli Stielike since he took over in September. While the German has brought in new faces and experimented with personnel and formations, it would be a surprise if the veteran full back was not in the starting line-up next month in Australia. South Korea have been grouped with hosts Australia, Oman and Kuwait in the first round of the Jan. 9-31 Asian Cup, a competition they last won in 1960. (Reporting by Kahyun Yang, Writing by Peter Rutherford; Editing by)