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| Tottenham striker Son Heung-Min is one of the highest profile Korean players in the Premier League |
IT is 62 years since the Korean War ended, but there will be a reenactment of a very different kind at White Hart Lane this afternoon.
The invasion this time will come from south Korea with an army of TV crews and journalists set to descend on north London to see a battle between two of their biggest football stars.
Spurs striker Son Heung-Min and Crystal Palace midfielder Chung-Yong Lee are expected to be the highest profile Korean players to face each other in the Premier League. And millions will be glued to their TV screens back home to see which of them comes out on top.
Chances are that both could start on the bench. But their head to head gives extra spice to a London derby that promises to be pretty feisty anyway given the form Spurs and Palace are in.
Off the pitch the pair are pals who play together for the national team. But it's a different story on it.
Korean interest is at a peak over the game which will be beamed live by national broadcaster SBS who are flying over technicians and commentators to join a host of other journalists already here to cover the clash.
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| Heung-Min will go head-to-head with Crystal Palace's Lee Chung-Yong |
Son, who scored twice for Spurs in their 3-1 Europa League win over FK Qarabag last week, joined them from Bayer Leverkusen last month.
Lee, nicknamed The Blue Dragon, moved to Palace from Bolton in the January transfer window and insists he and his Spurs rival are good friends when they're not playing against each other.
He said: "I hope we will both play on Sunday because the interest will be high in Korea.
"It has been a great start to the season for Palace and I want to work hard to play more now. I'm working hard every day.
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| Heung-Min scored twice for Spurs in the Europa League against Qarabag |
"And obviously I want to be the winning Korean on Sunday."
In the meantime his manager, Alan Pardew, who was involved in another touchline spat with Manchester City's Manuel Pellegrini last week, insists there will be no holding back for him today either.
He said: "I will never lose that touchline passion. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I try to switch off but I am never going to stop prowling my area and wanting to win.
"I am an emotional person. I can't get away from that even if it gets me into trouble sometimes."
Pardew's first game as Palace manager last season was against Spurs. And the victory they won then sparked an amazing rise in fortunes which saw the south Londoners survive against the odds and go into today's game on course for a place in Europe next season.
Their visit heralds a testing six days for Spurs in which they also play Arsenal and Manchester City. A task not lost on coach Mauricio Pochettino.
He said: "It's a really tough week. Crystal Palace have improved a lot from last season. They have very good players like Cabaye and it will be a very tough game.
"We are facing big clubs, but it is not a problem. We are convinced we can do well." But the last word was about Spurs Korean star, Son.
Teammate Toby Alderwiereld added: "He is a very talented player. Defenders don't like to play against him because he can go both ways and he is a great player for us."
Millions of Koreans will see just how great at around midnight tonight, their time!
Kick-off: 1.30pm TV: Sky Sports 1
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