Lee Kang-in, who recently signed for Paris Saint-Germain in a €22 million deal, has been included in South Korea's squad for this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou ©PSG

A potential club versus country row is looming after South Korea named four European-based footballers in its squad for this year's Asian Games, including Paris Saint-Germain's new €22 million (£19 million/$25 million) signing Lee Kang-in.

An attempt to include Oh Hyeon-gyu in the squad, however, was rebuffed by Scottish champions Glasgow Celtic.

South Korea will field an under-24s team at Hangzhou 2022 in a tournament considered prestigious in the country because the Government in Seoul issues exemptions from mandatory national service if they win the gold medal.

South Korea has lifted the title at the last two Asian Games, including at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 when the team included Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min.

The Asian Games tournament, due to take place between September 19 and October 8, is not a reserved date on the FIFA calendar and clubs are under no obligation to have to release any players, which is why Celtic refused to release Oh.

This has not stopped South Korean coach Hwang Sun-hong including a number of players from European clubs in his 22-man squad.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min was part of South Korea's squad that won the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang ©Getty Images
Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min was part of South Korea's squad that won the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang ©Getty Images

Along with Lee, he has picked Jeong Woo-yeong from Stuttgart, Park Kyu-hyun of Dynamo Dresden and Hong Hyun-seok of Gent.

He claimed that the Korea Football Association (KFA) had reached an agreement with the German and Belgian clubs for those players to be released.

But Hwang faces a challenging task persuading PSG to release 22-year-old Lee, who joined the French champions from La Liga club Mallorca earlier this month.

Hwang claimed he is optimistic that he will be able to call upon Lee, winner of the Golden Ball award for best player at the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland ahead of Erling Haaland, who last season helped Manchester City lift the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup by scoring a record 52 goals.

"We had almost completed negotiations with Kang-in's former team, Mallorca, but since he just joined PSG, we have to talk with them a bit more," Hwang, a member of the South Korean team that won a bronze medal at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, said at a press conference at the KFA House in Seoul.

"Kang-in really wants to play for the country and we have high expectations for him as well.

"I am optimistic that things will go our way."

An agreement has been reached with Bundesliga club Dynamo Dresden for Park Kyu-hyun to represent South Korea at Hangzhou 2022 ©Getty Images
An agreement has been reached with Bundesliga club Dynamo Dresden for Park Kyu-hyun to represent South Korea at Hangzhou 2022 ©Getty Images

Men's football in Asian Games is typically limited to players 23 years or younger.

But, since this edition of the event has been postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the age limit was pushed up to 24, meaning players born on or after January 1 in 1999, remain eligible.

South Korea will try to become the first country to win three straight gold medals in men’s football at the Asian Games.

The draw for this year's competition is due to take place on July 27.