Three times champion India were trounced 1-4 by South Korea in the Azlan Shah hockey tournament here Tuesday - their second successive defeat by the same margin.

With their second defeat of the tournament, India, who finished seventh and last in the previous editions of the tourney, have just four points from four outings and lie sixth, with only South Africa below them.

India will next play league leaders Pakistan Wednesday. Pakistan held favourites Australia to a 2-2 draw Tuesday.

India's match Tuesday brought back memories of their game against hosts Malaysia Sunday when they met the same fate.

Tied 1-1 going into the break, the Indians completely lost their way in the second half and let the South Koreans take control of the encounter.

After surviving the initial South Korean attacks that included five penalty corners, India opened the scoring from their first penalty corner through Len Aiyappa in the 23rd minute.

Kim Kyung Seok made up for a missed penalty stroke when he latched on to the ball after goalkeeper Devesh Chauhan failed to clear an attempt from a penalty corner.

Kang Seong Jung put the Koreans into the lead in the 42nd off a counterattack that left the Indian defence looking like plain amateurs.

The lanky Korean added to India's misery when he successfully converted from a penalty corner just four minutes after his first goal.

You Hyo Sik put the result beyond any doubt when he found the net after pouncing on to a pass from the right flank leaving the Indian custodian helpless.