South Korea men's national ice hockey team

The South Korea men's national ice hockey team represents the Republic of Korea in international play and is listed as Korea by the IIHF. As of the latest rankings, the team sits 23rd in the world and third in Asia, competing in World Championship Division I Group B. Their biggest achievement to date came in 2017, when they finished second in Division I Group A, earning a promotion to the top division for the 2018 tournament. That same year, they made their Olympic debut as the host nation at the Pyeongchang Winter Games.

South Korea first entered the World Championship in 1979, playing in Pool C, the third tier. After a three-year break, they returned in 1982 and became a regular participant from 1986 onward. From 2010 to 2017, they competed in Division I, the second level, before their promotion to the top division for 2018.

After being selected to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, the team worked to improve its competitiveness, led by Korea Ice Hockey Association president Chung Mong-won. To boost performance, several North American players on South Korean club teams were granted citizenship, allowing them to play in the Olympics. This strategy paid off: when the Games were awarded in 2011, South Korea ranked 31st in the IIHF World Ranking, but by the start of the Olympics, they had climbed to 18th. However, the use of naturalized players was gradually phased out after the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea is considered a strong force in Asian ice hockey. They regularly compete in the Asian Winter Games, with a silver medal in 2017 as their best result. In November 2024, they participated in the first IIHF Asia Championship, finishing in third place.