The 23-year-old picked up a knee injury during a 1-1 draw with Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the K-League on March 11.

While early reports suggested that the injury would sideline Kim for for only a month, further examinations revealed that the situation was much worse than the initial diagnosis suggested.

"The results of Kim Hyeung-bum's knee injury examination showed that there is serious damage to his ligaments," a downcast Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee told reporters.

"We thought he would be out for four weeks but the precise examination results were not good at all.

"It is probable that he will have an operation."

Jeonbuk only begin the defence of their continental crown at the quarter-final stage in September but the club are doubtful he will be ready in time.

The news is a blow for the Jeonju-based team as the highly-rated midfielder scored five goals in last season's competition and was on the mark twice in the first two games of the 2007 K-League season.