Soccer-South Korea set for return of 'Lion King' - report

SEOUL, Aug 22 (Reuters) - South Korea forward Lee Dong-gook is set to earn a recall to the national team for first time in over a year for upcoming friendlies against Venezuela and Uruguay, a Korea Football Association (KFA) official said on Friday. Lee, dubbed the 'Lion King' in South Korea, has been stuck on 99 caps since a 1-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Iran in June last year. The 35-year-old is enjoying a good run of form for Jeonbuk this season and is the domestic K-League's top scorer. He has scored 30 times for South Korea. "As long as he isn't injured this weekend, Lee will be on the team," Yonhap news agency quoted a senior KFA official as saying. "Members of the technical committee will travel to different K-League matches to get a final look at the players on the list." Korea have called up 14 foreign-based players for the matches against Venezuela on Sept. 5 and Uruguay three days later and plan to name 10 or 11 more from the domestic league to complete the squad. Towering Ulsan striker Kim Shin-wook and several other local-based players are unavailable for the friendlies as they are preparing for the Asian Games in Incheon later in September. South Korea, who have been without a coach since Hong Myung-bo resigned in July, are using the friendlies to prepare for next January's Asian Cup in Australia. (Writing by Peter Rutherford; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)