S. Korea named host of 2024 Winter Youth Olympics

South Korea has been named the host country of the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.   The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Gangwon Province in eastern South Korea the right to stage the fourth edition of the quadrennial youth competition, following a vote during its 135th Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday.Of 81 valid votes, Gangwon received 79 votes in its favor, with only two against its bid. South Korea is now the first Asian country to host the Winter Youth Olympic

Olympic GamesJan. 10, 2020

S. Korea squeeze past China to open Olympic men's football qualifying tournament

South Korea opened their Olympic men's football qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over China on Thursday.Second-half sub Lee Dong-jun scored in the dying seconds of the otherwise dull match, as South Korea defeated China by the narrowest of margins to begin Group C action at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand.Lee, the 2019 MVP in the second-tier K League 2, converted a pass from his Busan IPark teammate Kim Jin-kyu for the last-gas

Olympic GamesJan. 10, 2020

S. Korea defeats Kazakhstan to top group at Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament

South Korea beat Kazakhstan to win its group in the preliminary round of the Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament on Thursday.Lee Jae-yeong put up 18 points, helping world No. 9 South Korea past the 23rd-ranked Kazakhstan 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-21) for its third straight victory in Pool B at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. South Korea didn't drop a set during the preliminary stage.The winner of this tournament will compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Both Sout

Olympic GamesJan. 9, 2020

Reigning S. Korean football MVP rejoins league champions

Midfielder Kim Bo-kyung, the 2019 South Korean pro football MVP, couldn't beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for the league title last year. So he's joining them this year.Fresh off their third consecutive K League 1 championship, Jeonbuk announced on Sunday they're bringing back the playmaking midfielder after two seasons away. Financial terms were not disclosed.Kim, 30, spent the 2019 season with Ulsan Hyundai FC, on a one-year loan from his original club in Japan, Kashiwa Reysol. The former Premier

SoccerJan. 5, 2020

Ministry to spread Korean culture to teens from 29 countries at 2020 Dream Program

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday that it will hold the 2020 Dream Program with the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation from Monday to Jan. 18.This year, 123 teenagers from 29 countries will take part in the program held mainly in Gangwon Province. “We will spread the Olympic values of fair competition and hard physical training through the 2020 Dream Program. Moreover, we plan to further strengthen cultural and physical exchanges to uphold the legacy of the Pye

Olympic GamesJan. 2, 2020

KBO club Wiz re-sign outfielder Mel Rojas Jr.

South Korean baseball club KT Wiz announced Tuesday they'll bring back outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. for his fourth straight year with the team.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Rojas, 29, has agreed to a new one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million. He'll make $800,000 in guaranteed salary, $500,000 in signing bonus and up to $200,000 in incentives.Rojas batted .322 with 24 home runs and 104 RBIs in 2019, and earned his first Golden Glove, awarded to the best overall player at each position. T

BaseballDec. 31, 2019

S. Korea to be without Europe-based youngsters for Olympic football qualifiers

South Korea will not have the services of a pair of Europe-based players for the upcoming Olympic men's football qualifying tournament.The Korea Football Association announced Monday that Valencia CF midfielder Lee Kang-in and SV Darmstadt 98 midfielder Paik Seung-ho will not be available for the under-23 national team for the 2020 Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship, which will run from Jan. 8-26 in Thailand. This event will also serve as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2020

SoccerDec. 30, 2019

MLB's Ryu Hyun-jin to join Bosingak bell-ringing event

South Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin, who recently signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, plans to participate in this week's Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony, a Seoul city official said Sunday.The annual ceremony is held at the Bosingak belfry in Jonggak, central Seoul, as a New Year's Eve celebration to greet the new year.Ryu plans to ring the bell, along with 11 other civilian representatives, including Pengsoo, a popular penguin character, at the start of New Year's Day. Ryu initially had a sched

BaseballDec. 29, 2019

Newest Blue Jay Ryu Hyun-jin brought No. 99 back to Canada: agent

In Canadian sports, 99 is a sacred number, for it was worn by one of the country's greatest athletes, the hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.Though in a different sport, South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin will now don No. 99 for the Toronto Blue Jays, which signed him to a four-year, US$80 million contract. Ryu has had that number throughout his pro career, which began in South Korea in 2006 and shifted to the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013. While No. 99 is retired across the National Hocke

BaseballDec. 28, 2019

Ex-South Korea coach Shin to take over struggling Indonesia

JAKARTA (AFP) -- Former South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong has been tapped to take over Indonesia's struggling national team, the country's football association said on Friday.Shin, who led South Korea at last year's World Cup in Russia -- where they famously ousted defending champions Germany -- is expected to be formally unveiled on Saturday."We have invited Shin to finalise the contract. After that he will be introduced later on Saturday," Mochamad Iriawan, chairman of the Football Ass

SoccerDec. 27, 2019

N. Korea to skip women's Olympic football qualifying tournament in S. Korea: source

North Korea will not compete in an Olympic women's football qualifying tournament scheduled for next February in South Korea, a source told Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.According to the source, North Korea recently informed the Asian Football Confederation that they will not enter the third round of the Asian qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.That competition will run from Feb. 3-9, 2020, on the South Korean island of Jeju."North Korea didn't give reasons for their withdrawal, and t

SoccerDec. 25, 2019

Tottenham fail with appeal against Son red card

LONDON (AFP) -- Tottenham Hotspur have failed with their appeal against Son Heung-min's red card, the Football Association announced Tuesday.The South Korean winger saw red in the second half of Spurs' 2-0 loss at home to Chelsea in a spiteful London derby on Sunday after VAR confirmed he had kicked out at Blues defender Antonio Rudiger after being fouled. Tottenham launched an appeal but the FA upheld his red card, meaning Son will now serve a three-game ban ruling him out of the matches at hom

SoccerDec. 25, 2019

Ryu Hyun-jin to depart for Toronto on Christmas Day to finalize deal with Blue Jays

South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin is scheduled to depart for Toronto on Christmas Day to finalize his contract with the Blue Jays, his Seoul-based agency said Tuesday.A•Spec Corp. said the 32-year-old left-hander will fly to Toronto on a 10:20 a.m. flight out of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Wednesday. The agency added Ryu will not speak with the press at the airport and will instead have his media availability here after he returns home from Toronto.The agency said Ryu w

BaseballDec. 24, 2019

Rudiger racism row takes new twist amid reports of Son abuse

LONDON (AFP) -- The latest racism row engulfing English football took a fresh turn Monday amid reports Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min as well as Chelsea's Antonio Rudiger had been abused by spectators during Sunday's fractious London derby.Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League win at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium saw referee Anthony Taylor halt play during the second half when Rudiger complained of hearing monkey noises from spectators.Moments earlier, the Chelsea defender had been involved in a clash

SoccerDec. 24, 2019

Ryu Hyun-jin signs with Toronto Blue Jays: report

South Korean free agent left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, a US report said.Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Sunday (US Eastern Time) that Ryu has agreed to a four-year deal worth $80 million, citing multiple sources. Other reports said the deal has a full no-trade clause and no opt outs.The Blue Jays have not yet confirmed the deal. If the deal is finalized, Ryu will be the second South Korean player to play for the Jays, after reliever Oh Seung-hwan, who spent half

BaseballDec. 23, 2019

KBO free agent shortstop returns to original team after controversial negotiations

South Korean free agent shortstop Oh Ji-hwan will be returning to his original club after all, following criticism of unreasonable demands at the negotiating table.The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization announced on Friday that Oh has agreed to a four-year deal worth 4 billion won ($3.4 million). The deal includes a signing bonus of 1.6 billion won, and the 29-year-old will be making 600 million won in annual salary.Oh was drafted by the Twins out of high school in 2009 and has spent hi

BaseballDec. 20, 2019

Son Heung-min named top S. Korean player for record 4th time

South Korean men's national football captain Son Heung-min has been named the country's best player of the year for a record fourth time.The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on Thursday that Son, the attacking stalwart for Tottenham Hotspur, was voted the Male Player of the Year for 2019. Son was also honored in 2013, 2014 and 2017. The fourth award breaks a tie with three-time honoree Ki Sung-yueng, who earned the award in 2011, 2012 and 2016.Son topped the voting by the media and the

SoccerDec. 20, 2019

Son Heung-min named top S. Korean player for record 4th time

South Korean men‘s national football captain Son Heung-min has been named the country’s best player of the year for a record fourth time.The Korea Football Association announced on Thursday that Son, the attacking stalwart for Tottenham Hotspur, was voted the Male Player of the Year for 2019.Son was also honored in 2013, 2014 and 2017. The fourth award breaks a tie with three-time honoree Ki Sung-yueng, who earned the award in 2011, 2012 and 2016. Son topped the voting by the media a

SoccerDec. 19, 2019

Barcelona, Real draw as Clasico marred by violence

BARCELONA (AFP) -- Barcelona and Real Madrid could not be separated on Wednesday in a Clasico that was overshadowed by violent clashes between Catalan independence protestors and police outside Camp Nou.After being postponed in October, there were renewed fears of unrest around Spain's most famous fixture and while the match was only briefly interrupted by yellow beach balls thrown onto the pitch, outside the stadium, chaos ensued.Masked protesters had set bins on fire and thrown rocks and glass

SoccerDec. 19, 2019

S. Korean pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun signs with St. Louis Cardinals

South Korean left-hander Kim Kwang-hyun has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, fulfilling his dream of pitching in the majors in his second crack.The Cardinals announced on Tuesday (local time) their signing of the 31-year-old pitcher and introduced him right away at a press conference at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The deal is reportedly worth $8 million for two years.In 2019, his 12th season with the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization, Kim went 17-6 with a 2.51 ERA and 180 strikeo

BaseballDec. 18, 2019