The Philippine Azkals held their ground until the 67th minute when the Korean Taeguk Warriors' attacks yielded them a goal Monday night at the Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
Hwang Ui-Jo scored on a follow up with a right-footed shot from the right side off the six yard box to the high center of the goal, 1-0, giving Korea its first win at the start of the Group C hostilities of the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.
Ui-Jo sent in Korea's lone goal after an assist by Hwang Hee-Chan.
Korea now shares the early lead with China, which won over Kyrgyzstan, 2-1, at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
The Koreans were supposed to score twice more, but Lee Chung-Yong's right-footed shot from outside the box got blocked by the Azkals defense in the 76th.
Teammate Hwang In-Beom's shot from outside the box was just a bit too high following a corner kick and the Azkals went on to have their final chances to score.
The Philippines had two successive attempts, first in the 78th minute, when Javier Patiño's right-footed shot from outside the box got blocked after he went on the offensive off an assist by Stephan Schröck.
In the 79th, Álvaro Silva's header from the center of the box missed as it came from the left, after being assisted by Iain Ramsay with a cross following a corner.
Ui-Jo could have scored again for Korea in the 81st, but he missed after his right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right got too close, after he received an assist from Hwang In-Beom.