Nigeria opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Kalu Uche nipped in front of Cha Du-ri to latch onto a cross from Chidi Odiah and shot into the corner of the goal. But the Super Eagles again threw away an early lead as they did against Greece.
In another match, Messi's Argentina maintained their perfect record in the World Cup as they registered a resounding 2-0 win over Greece. Martin Demichelis and Palermo were the goal scorers for Argentina.
South Korea equalised in the 38th minute when Ki Sung-yong curled a freekick from just outside the penalty area across goal and Lee Jung-soo stole in behind Rabiu Afolabi to fire low past the keeper at the back post.
Four minutes into the second half, Park Chu-young gave South Korea the lead, firing another freekick on the edge of the area around the Nigerian wall and into the far corner past a flailing and misplaced Vincent Enyeama.
In the 69th minute Yakubu Aiyegbeni atoned for wasting two golden chances by calmly slotting home a penalty to level the scores. Seven minutes earlier he had somehow skewed the ball wide while alone four metres in front of an open goal.
The Koreans should have taken the lead after just two minutes. Lee Chung yung intercepted a poor clearance from Rabiu Afolabi, played the ball out wide and was then sent clean through on goal, but scuffed his shot wide.
While the Super Eagles bossed the middle of the field for much of the first half, winning the high balls and snapping neat short passes through to the front line, their defence fouled the Koreans time and time again in dangerous areas.
The West Africans certainly had chances to win their first World Cup game in seven matches. Just before missing from four years out, Yakuba was clean through on goal but cut the ball back and became entangled with a defender.
"Mostly I feel disappointed and sad. It's the results that count so there is not much to say, I can only congratulate the South Koreans," Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback said after the match.
"I was a little bit sorry about all the timewasting. I don't think its fair play. It's very disappointing and I think the (Nigeria) players have done really well," he added.