S. Korea climb 11 spots to 42nd in FIFA rankings

SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea soared 11 notches to 42nd place in the FIFA rankings this month, boosted by performances in the final Asian World Cup qualifying round, according to the Web site of the world football governing body monitored here on Thursday.

South Korea, who seek their seventh World Cup ticket, beat the United Arab
Emirates and Saudi Arabia in recent qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. The new
ranking marks the first time South Korea have crossed into the 40s in half a
year.
North Korea came in 113th, one down from a month earlier, while Australia ranked
28th, the highest in the Asia-Pacific region, FIFA said. Spain maintained their
top-ranking position.
samkim@yna.co.kr