In the aftermath of last night's 1-0 victory over Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson revealed the popular South Korean will miss seven matches once he flies back home after the Boxing Day clash with Sunderland.
Should the Koreans be knocked out early during the three-week tournament in Qatar, Park will be back sooner. But as they are one of the favourites to lift the trophy, that seems unlikely.
And having been one of United's most impressive performers recently, Park accepts that, for once, he will head home with a heavy heart.
"I have mixed feelings about the Asian Cup," he said. "At the moment I am playing with confidence, so I do feel a bit strange about going.
"But I am always happy to join my national team as well."
Source: PA
Source: PA