KFA selects "youth expert"... Coach Kim Tae-yep takes charge of men's U-16 national team, aiming to "discover talents like Han Chan-hee and Lee Yu-hyun"

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) has appointed Kim Tae-yep (54), a former full-time coach at the association, as the new head coach of the men's under-16 (U-16) national team.

On the 21st, the KFA held a board meeting at Cheonan Korea Football Park and deliberated and approved the appointment plan for Coach Kim.

This appointment was conducted under the supervision of the KFA Technical Development Committee, which prioritized seamless coordination of the Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) team and continuity in player development. Coach Kim Tae-yep received the highest score in in-depth interviews and presentation (PT) evaluations conducted for former full-time coaches who have experience coaching various Yoo So-nyeon (CEO) teams and the Golden Age program, and was recommended as the top candidate before receiving final approval from the board of directors.

The newly appointed head coach Kim Tae-yep is widely recognized as a youth expert with both on-the-ground experience and international insight. As a player, he competed for Jeonnam Dragons and in Germany's lower leagues. After transitioning to coaching, he served as a youth team coach in Germany and later as the head coach of Jeonnam youth teams (Gwangyang Jecheol Elementary and Middle Schools). During this period, he led numerous national tournament victories and directly discovered and nurtured top professional players such as Han Chan-hee, Jang Yun-ho (both of Suwon FC), and Lee Yu-hyun (of Gangwon FC).

Since 2016, he has joined the KFA as a full-time coach, leading the 13th–16 age Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) teams and the Golden Age program. Notably, last year he joined as a coach for the 2025 U-17 national team, contributing to the team's advancement to the Round of 32 at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, earning high praise for his deep understanding of the characteristics of players in this age group and the trends of international tournaments.

The U-16 national team, embarking on a new chapter under Coach Kim Tae-yep, will begin intensive training with the goal of qualifying for the 2027 AFC U-17 Asian Cup finals to be held in Saudi Arabia in May next year and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be hosted in Qatar in November.

The first official schedule is participation in a four-nation friendly tournament in China from May 10 to 16. Starting with this event, the national team plans to compete in other friendly tournaments in Europe later this year to further enhance its competitiveness on the international stage.

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*This content was translated by AI.