Sth Korea boycott would be 'devastating' for Asian Cup

South Korea's players threatened to boycott next month's intercontinental tournament in Australia due to "harsh and unreasonable conditions" under the nation's federation.

A statement, signed on September 26 last year, claimed the Korea Football Association viewed "equal treatment with the men's national team as unreasonable".

A response from the federation was requested by October 17, ahead of the Asian Cup tournament starting on March 1.

The federation responded to Korea Professional Footballers' Association on the deadline day, but the players' union - in another statement made on January 23 - claimed no further dialogue took place.

Parts of the original statement were leaked to local media, before the players' union made its content public. 

The Matildas are slated to face South Korea - the team who ended their last Asian Cup campaign in 2022 - in the group stages on March 8 in Sydney.

Former star Matildas striker Walsh, now chief operating officer of the tournament's local organising committee, said the issue did not fall within their remit.

Walsh was also a long-time member of the Professional Footballers Australia's Matildas committee during her eight-year international career.

"We don't have a lot to do with that. The AFC, as the competition owner, is responsible for bringing in all the teams," Walsh told AAP.

"I'm watching it very closely. Obviously, it will be devastating if the team were unable to travel.

"Having been a part of many CBAs, I expect there to be a resolution one way or another.

"It's a Korean Football Association matter to solve, but AFC will be watching very closely."

How a possible withdrawal by South Korea affects the group stages will be an issue left for the AFC, with Walsh promising state-of-the-art facilities for participating nations.

"What we are responsible for is running the matches once they're here," Walsh said.

"For us, when they're on the ground, they're in our care.

"We make sure that they have some of the best hotels and training grounds they've ever had."

Football Australia interim chief executive Heather Garriock said the Matildas weren't focusing on a possible disruption to the group stages.

Former Matilda Garriock was part of Australia's trophy-winning Asian Cup run in 2010 alongside Walsh.

"We're focused on ourselves," Garriock told AAP.

"We are proud at Football Australia that we have gender equity.

"It took a long time to get there, but we're there, and we're proud to say that.

"And for South Korea, we just can't wait to play them, whatever the team."

Australian Associated Press