Thousands of flag-draped fans, locals and journalists crammed into the cobbled courtyard of the stately Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg to welcome South Korea to Germany amid chaotic scenes on Tuesday.

South Korean team pose for photographers before international friendly match against Ghana in Edinburgh.[Reuters]

The 2002 semi-finalists, beaten 3-1 by Ghana in a World Cup warm-up in Scotland on Sunday, will use Bayer Leverkusen's facilities to prepare for their Group G opener against Togo on June 13.

"I came down from Hanover to see them arrive," said student Yang Mi-shin. "I'll stay outside the hotel tonight or somewhere in town to see if they come out."

A raucous Korean fusion rock band pumped up the crowd while German accordion music prompted the wives of local dignitaries to strut their stuff.

As the team bus pulled up more than an hour late, serving to swell the crowd and heighten the frenzy, security guards struggled to keep the heaving mass of fans behind the cordon.

The bus inched closer to the hotel and all hell broke loose.

An elderly gentleman in a motorised wheel-chair hit top gear to avoid the rush as the cordon broke and the crowds stopped the bus in its tracks.

"This is madness," said one woman.

"PARK JI-SUNG", screamed another.

Exhausted players fended off requests for autographs from young fans who had somehow made it on stage with the team and an incredulous Dick Advocaat.

Last off stage, coach Advocaat was separated from the group and the media moved in.

"Who do you think is the best team at the World Cup?", one German reporter asked the Dutchman as he signed footballs, magazines and napkins.

"Korea of course," came the reply.

With security either unable or unwilling to re-enter the fray, Advocaat barrelled his way through the crowd to the relative safety of the hotel.

The players disappeared from sight, the band started up again and calm was restored.