South Korea qualified for their

seventh consecutive World Cup finals on Saturday after beating

United Arab Emirates 2-0 in a Group Two qualifier.

First-half goals from Park Chu-young and Ki Sung-yueng were

enough to see the 2002 World Cup semi-finalists through to South

Africa in 2010.

They join Japan and Australia, who also booked their places

from Group One on Saturday.

South Korea top Group Two with 14 points from six matches.

North Korea are second on 11 points after a goalless draw with

Iran, with Saudi Arabia third on 10.

The top two in each group in Asian qualifying go through to

the finals, with the two third-place teams staying alive with a

play-off.

South Korea were off the mark after only five minutes

against the already-eliminated UAE when Park chested down a

cross in a crowded area and coolly prodded home from six metres

with the keeper rooted to the ground.

They pressed for more goals in a heated affair marred by bad

tackles and a stack of yellow cards.

South Korea played fluid, attacking soccer throughout and

doubled their lead on 37 minutes after a bizarre goalkeeping

blunder by Majed Nasser.

The UAE keeper scrambled to keep a defensive pass from going

out for a corner but dived to the floor and pushed the ball into

the path of Ki, who dragged it back and slotted casually into an

empty net.

UAE had their only real chance after the break when Mahmoud

Khamis's powerful goalbound drive deflected off an onrushing

defender into safety.

Lee Chung-yong could have made it three for South Korea with

18 minutes left when he fired an unchallenged bullet header wide

of the post.

Victory took South Korea through to a place at their eighth

World Cup finals in total.