Cheonan: Growing more confident with each passing match in England, South Korean midfielder Yang Min-hyeok said Tuesday he is ready to demonstrate his ability to finish off chances around the goal. Yang, 19, earned his first senior national team call-up since March, with South Korea scheduled to face Bolivia on Friday and Ghana next Tuesday. The 19-year-old made his international debut in March and is now eager for more opportunity.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yang expressed his gratitude upon being selected again for the national team. Speaking to reporters before a training session at the National Football Center in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, he said, "Now that I am back in such a precious spot, I feel like I have to work even harder." Yang feels more prepared this time around compared to his initial experience in March, when he was just a few months into his loan spell with Queens Park Rangers in the English Football League Championship.

Yang has since moved to Portsmouth FC, another club in the Championship, where he has scored twice in 10 matches across all competitions. Reflecting on his time with the national team earlier this year, Yang remarked, "When I was with the national team earlier this year, I thought I hadn't yet made a full adjustment to England. I've played a few more matches there now and I've grown more confident. So I can come into the national team feeling more comfortable."

With veteran midfielders Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), Paik Seung-ho (Birmingham City), and Lee Dong-gyeong (Ulsan HD FC) out due to injuries, Yang will play a crucial role in the midfield. "I may not be able to replace all of them but I will try to capitalize on my strengths and help the team the best way I can," he said. Highlighting his ambition, Yang expressed a desire to showcase his finishing ability and, if given the chance, to score goals for the national team.

Yang also shared insights on how playing in the Championship has enhanced his physical style of play. "It's such a physically demanding league and I've had to match opponents' power," he noted. "I've thought I need to be better in that area and I still have long ways to go."