# Park Jin-seop (footballer, born 1995)

Park Jin-seop (Korean: 박진섭; born 23 October 1995) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back for K League 1 club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and the South Korea national team.

## Club career

Park played as a footballer at all of his elementary, middle and high schools in Jeonju, but had difficulty in entering university. After enrolling at the football club of Digital Seoul Culture Arts University narrowly, he became known as one of regional top goalscorers at the U-League in 2014 and 2016. He prepared to join K League 2 club Daejeon Citizen by attracting club's manager Choi Moon-sik before the 2017 season, but the plan was cancelled due to Choi's dismissal. Instead, he moved to semi-professional club Daejeon Korail, playing at the Korea National League for a year.
Park joined another K League 2 club Ansan Greeners in 2018, becoming a professional player. He was the second top goalscorer at the 2017 Korea National League, but changed his role to a defensive midfielder at Ansan. His performance at midfield for two years received attention from Daejeon Citizen (reorganised as Daejeon Hana Citizen in 2020), and it gave him an offer. He had had an ill feeling toward Daejeon due to the cancellation of his former agreement with it, but decided to trust it. He captained the club in his first season, and was named in the K League 2 Best XI the next year. Afterwards, he could go to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, his dream club located in his hometown Jeonju.
Park joined Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors before the start of the 2022 season, challenging himself at the K League 1. When playing for Jeonbuk, he once again changed his role to a centre-back. His versatile talents led him to adapt quickly in the rearmost position. In his first season at Jeonbuk, he was selected for the K League 1 Best XI, and won the Korean FA Cup.

## International career

Park played as an overage player for the South Korea under-23 team at the 2022 Asian Games, winning a gold medal.
Park played as a substitute for the national team in four matches of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
On 26 March 2024, Park scored his first international goal in a World Cup qualifier against Thailand.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 1 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Others | Others | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Daejeon Korail | 2017 | Korea National League | 25 | 11 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 30 | 14 |
| Ansan Greeners | 2018 | K League 2 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 2 |
| Ansan Greeners | 2019 | K League 2 | 36 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 5 |
| Ansan Greeners | Total | Total | 62 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 7 |
| Daejeon Hana Citizen | 2020 | K League 2 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 27 | 4 |
| Daejeon Hana Citizen | 2021 | K League 2 | 35 | 5 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 7 |
| Daejeon Hana Citizen | Total | Total | 59 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 11 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2022 | K League 1 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 2 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2023 | K League 1 | 32 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 2 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2024 | K League 1 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 2025 | K League 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 2 |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | Total | Total | 95 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 121 | 6 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 241 | 30 | 15 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 278 | 38 |
* ↑ Appearances in Korea National League Championship
* 1 2 3 Appearances in AFC Champions League
* ↑ Appearance in K League promotion-relegation play-offs
* ↑ Appearances in AFC Champions League Two

### International

    Scores and results list South Korea's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Park Jin-seop :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 26 March 2024 | Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Thailand | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |

## Honours

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
* Korean FA Cup: 2022
South Korea U23
* Asian Games: 2022
Individual
* K League 2 Best XI: 2021
* K League 1 Best XI: 2022
* K League All-Star: 2024