President Yoon holds a banquet for the Taeguk Warriors

President Yoon Suk-yeol, second from left, and first lady Kim Keon-hee receive a football ball and signed uniforms from Son Heung-min, far right, and Lee Kang-in, far left, at a dinner banquet hosted for the Taeguk Warriors for their 2022 World Cup achievements at the Blue House guest house in central Seoul Thursday evening. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

 
President Yoon Suk-yeol hosted a dinner for the Korean national football team to thank them for their accomplishments in the 2022 World Cup Thursday evening.  
 
The banquet at the Blue House Yeongbingwan guest house in central Seoul was attended by 21 players, including captain Son Heung-min, coach Paulo Bento and other coaching and support staff.  
 
The dinner was an event to “express deep gratitude” to the national football team and the coaching staff, said the presidential office. First lady Kim Keon-hee and other presidential aides also took part in the banquet.  
 
“I was deeply moved by our players who continued to undertake challenges to the end with an ‘unbreakable heart,'” said Yoon in his welcome speech. “Trusting in sweat and effort and the spirit of taking on challenges to head toward a single goal without giving up became the force that united the national team and the people.”
 
Yoon said that the Korean national team “is the winning team for our people.”
 
“Your youth and enthusiasm gave great comfort and hope to our country,” he added, “and your fighting spirit gave us the belief that our people can overcome any difficulty.”  
 
He said that football “is a common language for all of humankind” and can help to achieve “world peace.”
 
Son and Bento in turn expressed their thanks to the president for the invitation to the banquet and the people for their ardent support.  
 
“Thanks to our players and the people who have supported us so much over the past four years, we have achieved such good results and received a warm welcome, and I am very grateful for that,” said Son.  
 
“Our players will never forget this memory and will work harder so that Korea can shine even more on the football field, so please continue to support and watch over us.”  
 

President Yoon Suk-yeol, center, greets the members of the South Korean national football team at a dinner banquet at the Blue House guest house in central Seoul Thursday evening. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

Son and Lee Kang-in presented Yoon and the first lady with a football and uniforms signed by the players.
 
Son also gave Yoon his captain’s armband worn during the World Cup matches.
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The national team dramatically beat Portugal 2-1 last week, marking the first time Korea reached the round of 16 in 12 years.
 
The Taeguk Warriors returned home on Wednesday after its 4-1 loss to Brazil, the world No. 1 team, in their round of 16 match on Monday, bringing an end to South Korea’s World Cup journey.
 

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]