South Korea will be Spain's opponents in their second warm-up match ahead of this summer's World Cup. The European Champions will face their Asian rivals at their base camp in Austria, the match at the New Tivoli Stadium kicking-off at 18:00 hours (CEST). Spain will be hoping to build on their their last friendly performance against Saudi Arabia. The Red Fury had to come back from one-nil down to win 3-2 with a Llorente goal in second-half stoppage-time.

South Korea have won one and lost one of their two warm-up games to date. A 1-0 defetat to Belarus was followed by an impressive 2-0 win against the Ivory Coast. The Korean outfit were drawn in Group B where they will have to fight it out alongside Argentina, Nigeria and Greece for one of the top two places in the group.

Should Fernando Torres face South Korea on Thursday, it will be his first match against the Asians. The striker has been training with the squad, and in a press conference held by coach Vicente Del Bosque, the manager confirmed that the forward will be fully fit for the start of the World Cup which starts on June 11. “It's important that he is well for the start of the World Cup, and not if he plays on Thursday (South Korea). We are not going to take any risks. We have never taken any risks with players in the past and we are not going to start now. He has a future beyond the World Cup and we don't want to force him back before he is ready, it wouldn't be in the best interests of the player. Whatever we decide, it will be with the all the clear of the medical team, and the player", also said the Spanish team manager.

The meeting will be the first friendly fixture between the two teams, although Spain and South Korea have met three times at the World Cup. The most controversial match between the two South Africa World Cup qualifiers took place at the 2002 event held in Japan and South Korea.

Referee Gamal Al Ghandour disallowed a clear goal from Morientes plus blowing up for several very poor off-side decisions which clearly benefitted the hosts. With the game tied at the end of extra-time, Spain eventaully went out to South Korea after a penalty shoot-out.

At Italy 1990 Spain beat South Korea 3-1, and at USA 1994 Spain were surprisingly held 2-2 by the Koreans who scored twice in the final five minutes to rescue a point.

Following the friendly fixture in Austria, Spain will face Switzerland in Murcia, Spain, on June 16, in what will be their final game before flying out to South Africa.