SEOUL, June 22 (Reuters) - North and South Korea delivered a dull 0-0 draw in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

The two Koreas had already qualified for the next round and

the Group Three game lacked the same bite as their encounter in

March when North Korea refused to play the South's anthem or

raise its flag in Pyongyang.

That decision forced FIFA to change the venue to Shanghai.

North Korea had unsuccessfully demanded that Sunday's game be

moved from Seoul due to security concerns.

The governments of the two Koreas have yet to sign a peace

treaty to end their 1950-1953 war, each claiming to be the

rightful ruler of the entire peninsula.

With Park Ji-sung out through injury, South Korea coach Huh

Jung-moo opted for Kim Do-heon as his playmaker and the West

Bromwich midfielder was at the heart of his side's best moments.

After a dreary first 45 minutes, Kim brought the near 50,000

home fans to life with a shot that took a deflection and forced

North Korean keeper Ri Myong-guk to make a flying save.

Coach Huh was troubled by his side's inability to find the

net and said they would have to resolve the problem if they were

to progress to the finals in South Africa in 2010.

While Manchester United's Park continues to struggle with a

knee problem, Huh has also had to do without foreign-based

players such as Lee Young-pyo, Seol Ki-hyeon and Kim Dong-jin

due to injury and a lack of regular first-team action.

"Not being able to take advantage of good chances was very

disappointing and it's something that we need to work on," he

said in a news conference.

"There won't be any easy matches in the next round and we

have a very short time to prepare."

South Korean substitute Park Chu-young squandered the best

chance of the night in the 74th minute, ballooning the ball over

the crossbar from just outside the six-yard area when it looked

easier to score.

North Korea's dangerman Jong Tae-se had a quiet game and the

powerful Kawasaki Frontale forward failed to trouble the South's

defence.

His coach, Kim Jong-hun, said he was satisfied with the way

his team had played, however.

"I'm pretty happy. We've been using the same strategy with

the two forwards and that has worked pretty well so far," Kim

said.

"We tried to look for a chance to score using the pace of

(strikers) Jong Tae-se and Hong Yong-jo. We didn't score but

there were some good chances."

South Korea finished top of the group with the North in

second place.