Seoul: South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom will miss this month's international matches after suffering a thigh injury that is expected to sideline him for up to two months. The Korea Football Association announced Thursday it has decided to withdraw Hwang from the squad for his own protection, as he has complained of pain in his left thigh muscle.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Hwang's club, Dutch side Feyenoord, earlier stated on its website that the midfielder suffered a serious injury ahead of their UEFA Europa League match, quoting manager Robin van Persie. Van Persie noted that Hwang is expected to be out for six to eight weeks due to the injury.

The setback means coach Hong Myung-bo will have to do without his influential playmaker during South Korea's friendlies against Bolivia and Ghana later this month. The team has decided not to call up a replacement, opting to play the matches with only 26 players.

"We selected the squad with the possibility of injuries in mind," a national team official said on condition of anonymity. "We have several midfielders we'd like to test."

Hwang, a key fixture in Hong's midfield, has remained one of the squad's mainstays since the manager took charge last year. He missed the September internationals due to a calf issue but returned in October, starting against Brazil and Paraguay. His absence is another blow to South Korea just seven months before the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America, as Hong seeks to settle his preferred midfield pairing.

South Korea will host Bolivia in Daejeon on Nov. 14 and Ghana in Seoul on Nov. 18.