[World Cup] With towering striker upfront, S. Korea set to use back 4 vs. Sweden

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- Towering striker Kim Shin-wook will start in South Korea's 2018 FIFA World Cup opener against Sweden on Monday.The starting lineup released by FIFA shows South Korea are likely to use a 4-3-3 formation, with Kim, listed at 197 centimeters, as a surprising starter upfront in their Group F opening match against Sweden at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, some 425 kilometers east of Moscow. The kickoff time is 3 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. Seoul time.(Yonhap)Sout

SoccerJune 18, 2018

Now-TV commentator Park Ji-sung says S. Korea should watch out for Emil Forsberg

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- South Korean football icon Park Ji-sung, who now works as a commentator for local broadcaster SBS, said Monday the national football team should be aware of Sweden's playmaker Emil Forsberg when the two sides open their 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign.  Park Ji-sung (Yonhap)South Korea and Sweden will go head-to-head in their Group F opener at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod later Monday. The match will start at 3 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. Seoul time. Park, wh

SoccerJune 18, 2018

Assistant coach Cha Du-ri to wear headset in match vs. Sweden

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- South Korea confirmed that their assistant coach Cha Du-ri will be wearing a headset to communicate with coaching staff on the bench during their 2018 FIFA World Cup Group F opening match against Sweden on Monday.South Korea and Sweden will open their World Cup campaign at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, some 425 kilometers east of Moscow. The match will start at 3 p.m. local time, or 9 p.m. Seoul time. (Yonhap)A Korea Football Association official said Cha

SoccerJune 18, 2018

Ex-nat'l short track coach interrogated by police for alleged assault of athlete

SUWON -- A former South Korean national short track coach banned for allegedly assaulting an athlete was interrogated by police on Monday.Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, some 45 kilometers south of Seoul, called in Cho Jae-beom for interrogation at 10 a.m. Monday, and he was grilled for nearly eight hours. Cho Jae-beom (Yonhap)Police sources said Cho admitted to his charges. Cho refused to answer reporters' questions as he entered the police station and only said he'd cooperate

More SportsJune 18, 2018

[Graphic News] Stars to look out for 2018 FIFA World Cup

　Here is a look at the top soccer players in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

SoccerJune 18, 2018

[Photo News] Red Devils get ready for the big match

The South Korean national soccer team is set to square off against Sweden on Monday at 9 p.m., and Korean fans, or “Red Devils” as they call themselves, are gearing up for the big match.Fans have already gathered at Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, where the game will take place. As world soccer governing body FIFA holds a fan festival in the city, World Cup fans flood the streets to cheer on their favorite teams. Meanwhile, a large outdoor screen was installed at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul to greet lo

SoccerJune 18, 2018

Where to go for watching S. Korea-Sweden match

The World Cup season is here again, and South Koreans are gearing up to cheer for the national football team ahead of the big match against Sweden which kicks off Monday at 9 p.m.South Korean football fans are well known for their distinctive street cheering culture, which features red clothing and cheerful songs. (Yonhap)The most significant street cheering event is expected to take place in Gwanghwamun Square, where a 500-inch screen has been installed to livestream the football game. Local me

SoccerJune 18, 2018

More than half of Koreans believe team will miss knockout stage

More than half of South Koreans believe their national football team will fail to advance from the group stage of the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia, a poll showed Monday.In a survey of 500 South Koreans aged 19 or older by Realmeter, 54.7 percent said they didn't think South Korea would survive Group F. South Korea will open their campaign later Monday against Sweden, and will face Mexico on Saturday and Germany on June 27.At 57th in the world, South Korea are the lowest-ranked team among the

SoccerJune 18, 2018

Park Ji-sung expects Mexico to use different tactics vs. Korea

MOSCOW -- South Korean football legend Park Ji-sung believes Mexicans are likely to use different tactics against South Koreans, after watching Mexico's stunning win over Germany at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.Park is currently in Russia working as a commentator for South Korean broadcaster SBS. On Sunday, he was at Luzhniki Stadium to comment on the match between Germany and Mexico, the two opponents that South Korea will face in Group F after playing against Sweden on Monday.The Group F opener end

SoccerJune 18, 2018

Korean Ryu So-yeon claims 6th career LPGA win

South Korea's Ryu So-yeon has claimed her sixth career LPGA title and her first of the season.Ryu won the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give by two strokes over Caroline Masson at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Sunday (local time). Ryu fired a five-under 67 in the final round for the four-day total of 21-under 267.Ryu is the fifth South Korean champion on the tour this year in 16 tournaments. Ryu made $300,000 with the victory and reached $576,600 in earnings for the sea

GolfJune 18, 2018

Sweden well prepared for S. Korea‘s various game plans: coach

Swedish football coach Janne Andersson said Sunday his side is well prepared for the various tactics South Korea have planned for their upcoming match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.　South Korea and Sweden will open their 2018 World Cup Group F campaign at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod, some 425 kilometers east of Moscow, on Monday. Andersson said his team is all set to start the tournament.Sweden national football team head coach Janne Andersson speaks at a press conference at Nizhny N

SoccerJune 17, 2018

[Graphic News] South Korea is ranked 57 in FIFA World Cup rankings

　As the FIFA World Cup started in Russia last week, here is how Asia- Pacific countries are ranked by the global football body.　On the global ranking, Australia is the only country from the Asia-Pacific that ranks in the top 50.　South Korea is ranked 57 and is the only Asian country that has qualified nine times for the world cup. It is also the only Asian country to win the most entertaining team award at 2002 FIFA world Cup. Two players from the team were also voted members of the MasterCard A

SoccerJune 17, 2018

Troubled Germany look to make World Cup statement against Mexico

MOSCOW -- Germany must shrug off a rocky World Cup build-up as they begin the defence of their title on Sunday against a vastly experienced Mexico side jolted by their own pre-tournament scandal.While Manuel Neuer finally won his lengthy fitness battle after more than eight months out, Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan were jeered by Germany fans in recent friendlies after posing for a photograph alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos said what is discusse

SoccerJune 17, 2018

'Naive' Nigeria youth schooled by Croatia master Modric

KALININGRAD, Russia -- Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr admitted his young team had been "naive" in a 2-0 loss to Croatia in their opening Group D game Saturday, continuing a dismal recent record at World Cups.A Luka Modric penalty 20 minutes from time and a first-half own goal sealed victory for a Croatia side brimming with technical ability, and the Super Eagles -- who brought the youngest squad to Russia -- have now won just one of their last 13 games on football's biggest stage.  "We are disappoint

SoccerJune 17, 2018

Nat'l football team arrives in Nizhny Novgorod for Group F opener vs. Sweden

NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia -- South Korea on Saturday arrived in the Russian city where they will play their first match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.South Korea's 23-man squad took a chartered flight from Saint Petersburg to land in Nizhny Novgorod, where they will take on Sweden for their Group F opening match at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on Monday. South Korea, led by head coach Shin Tae-yong, arrived at their World Cup base camp in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Tuesday after training for a week in Aus

SoccerJune 17, 2018

S. Korea looking to upset Sweden in Group F opener

South Korea will try to create an upset when they go head-to-head against Sweden in their 2018 FIFA World Cup opening match this week. (Yonhap)South Korea will take on Sweden in their Group F opener at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Nizhny Novgorod on Monday. The match will start at 3 p.m., local time, or 9 p.m., Seoul time. South Korea, in their 10th World Cup, are certain underdogs in their group, where they are also paired with defending champions Germany and Latin American powerhouses Mexico. Ne

SoccerJune 16, 2018

Kang Jung-ho taken off Pirates' restricted list, moves closer to bigs

The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken their South Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho off the restricted list, putting him back on the 40-man roster and moving him closer to a return to the majors. Kang Jung-ho (Yonhap)The Pirates made the move on Friday (local time), and decided to keep him in Triple-A Indianapolis, where he's been playing since Monday.Kang began his major league comeback bid in Advanced A ball at the start of June, after acquiring his U.S. work visa in April. He missed the entire last s

BaseballJune 16, 2018

Seoul and other major cities plan street cheering for S. Korean matches

The nation's capital and other major cities are planning street cheering events for South Korean matches at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, hoping to create buzz for an event that has been overshadowed by political and diplomatic events here.Seoul announced earlier this week that it will organize outdoor viewing parties with the Korea Football Association at Seoul Plaza, in front of Seoul City Hall, and Gwanghwamun Square.South Korea's first Group F match is against Sweden at 9 p.m. next Monday. T

SoccerJune 15, 2018

[Video] South Korean team trains for World Cup in Russia

 The Korea Republic national team held an open training Saint Petersburg’s Spartak Stadium on Wednesday ahead of the 2018 World Cup.After the training, several football players, including Kim Shinwook, the striker for K League club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, met their fans, signed autographs and took selfies.The team is to face Germany, Mexico, and Sweden in the Group F games.(Ruptly)

SoccerJune 15, 2018

Govt. to professionalize taekwondo, make it more accessible

South Korea announced Friday it will seek to professionalize its traditional martial art of taekwondo and make it more accessible to a wider population.The sports ministry, in conjunction with four taekwondo organizations (World Taekwondo, Korea Taekwondo Association, Kukkiwon and Taekwondo Promotion Foundation), announced strategies and policy goals to develop taekwondo.The ministry said it will look for ways to make taekwondo a professional sport, with financial independence ensured through co

More SportsJune 15, 2018