Japan 0-2 South Korea

Park Ji-sung and Park Chu-young scored as South Korea beat fellow World Cup qualifiers Japan in a friendly international.

Both countries are facing difficult tasks in South Africa next month, having been placed in strong groups. Japan must play Cameroon, Denmark and Holland in Group E, while South Korea meet Argentina, Greece and Nigeria in Group B.

The Koreans can count on the undoubted quality of Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung and he opened the scoring in the sixth minute in Saitama, lashing the ball into the bottom left corner from the edge of the penalty area after a bustling run.

Monaco forward Park Chu-young came off the bench and won the penalty which he coolly fired into the bottom left corner for the clinching goal at the end of the second half.

Japan play England next, in Graz on Sunday, and on the same day South Korea take on Belarus in Kufstein.

"Both teams played well and played good football, and this game can bring us something positive ahead of the World Cup," said South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo.

"Our players played well without losing their cool despite playing before a full house and that got us the win."

Japan coach Takeshi Okada felt the game could have turned out differently if his side had managed to score before half-time.

"We wanted to finish the first half at 1-1 but it was hard to find a goal after giving up the first goal to our opponents," he said.

"We may have to change the way we start the game, starting the game rather defensively."

The 53-year-old added that he asked the president of the Japan Football Association, Motoaki Inukai, if he should remain as coach following a second successive defeat to the Koreans.

"As the president told me I should carry on, I guess I have no choice but do it," he revealed.