S. Korean-coached Indonesia fall short of direct Olympic football spot

Coached by South Korean native Shin Tae-yong, Indonesia have just missed out on the final direct Asian berth in this year's Olympic men's football tournament. Indonesia lost to Iraq 2-1 in extra time in the third-place match of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Thursday. This AFC tournament also serves as the final Asian qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics, and the top three countries each earned guaranteed spots in Fran

SoccerMay 3, 2024

After bitter defeat, S. Korean soccer coach blames himself, calls for overhaul

Hwang Sun-hong, the head coach of the South Korean Olympic men's soccer team, said he shoulders the biggest share of the blame for the team's bitter defeat Friday at the hands of underdog Indonesia. The 55-year-old also urged for an overhaul of the U-23 national team system, speaking at a press conference after returning home at Incheon Airport on Saturday. Hwang stressed the need for a four-year plan for the youth squad without the pressure of midterm reviews after South Korea was kno

SoccerApril 28, 2024

10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification

South Korea fell to Indonesia 11-10 on penalties to be eliminated from the Olympic men's football qualifiers in Qatar on Thursday, unable to grab a ticket to Paris after losing their best scorer and head coach in the second half. Indonesia's 12th kicker Pratama Arhan scored after Lee Kang-hee was denied by Ernando Ari in the nailbiting shootout in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha. This tournament doubles as the

SoccerApril 26, 2024

Landers slugger Choi Jeong becomes new KBO career home run leader

SSG Landers slugger Choi Jeong is the new home run king in South Korean baseball. Choi launched his 468th home run off Lotte Giants starter Lee In-bok at Sajik Baseball Stadium in the southeastern city of Busan on Wednesday, passing former Samsung Lions star Lee Seung-yuop on the all-time home run list in the Korea Baseball Organization. With the Landers trailing 7-4, Choi came up with two outs in the top of the fifth inning for his third plate appearance. Choi drilled a first-pitch slider and s

BaseballApril 24, 2024

KBO umps caught on mic conspiring to cover up missed call

During a KBO game in Daegu on Sunday between the NC Dinos and Samsung Lions, the umpires were caught on a hot mic attempting to cover up a missed call of a strike as a ball. "You clearly heard a ball. You understand, right? This is the only way out for us," one umpire was overheard saying during a live TV broadcast during a conversation discussing an objection from the NC Dinos regarding a discrepancy between the robo umpire’s judgment and the human umpire’s call. After the

BaseballApril 15, 2024

Football coach stresses cohesion ahead of Olympic qualifiers

With South Korea preparing for the Olympic men's football qualifying tournament kicking off in two weeks, head coach Hwang Sun-hong on Monday emphasized the importance of cohesion. "There will be no such thing as an easy opponent," Hwang told reporters before a training session at Icheon Stadium in Icheon, some 60 kilometers south of Seoul. "No matter whom we face, it's really up to how we prepare. Our players have a strong desire to play at the Olympics, and I have conf

SoccerApril 1, 2024

Giants rookie Lee Jung-hoo hits 1st MLB home run

The San Francisco Giants' South Korean rookie Lee Jung-hoo blasted his first career big league home run in just his third game. Lee went deep off Tom Cosgrove of the San Diego Padres in the top of the eighth inning at Petco Park in San Diego on Saturday. With the count at 1-1, Lee, who bats left-handed, drilled a sweeper from the lefty reliever and sent it 406 feet into the right field seats. The ball left Lee's bat at 104.4 miles per hour. Lee's homer kick-started a six-run innin

BaseballMarch 31, 2024

Son Heung-min scores 15th goal of Premier League season

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur scored in his first match back with his Premier League club following international duty, helping his side stay in the top-four battle. Son scored the 86th-minute winner in Spurs' 2-1 victory over Luton Town at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. With four minutes of normal time left, Son collected a pass from Brennan Johnson and unleashed a shot that deflected off defender Daiki Hashioka on its way into the net. The victory gave Tottenham 56

SoccerMarch 31, 2024

MLB debut a dream-come-true moment for Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo

After collecting his first major league hit and RBI in his very first game Thursday, San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo said his dream has become reality. "I am happy to have played my first game. I've been dreaming of this moment," Lee told Yonhap News Agency in the visiting clubhouse at Petco Park in San Diego, where the Giants lost to the home team Padres 6-4. Lee went 1-for-3 with an RBI from a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh. "I don't have any regr

BaseballMarch 29, 2024

Late-blooming football defender savors 1st int'l goal in World Cup qualifier

Three South Korean players scored a goal apiece in the team's 3-0 win over Thailand in their latest World Cup qualifying match Tuesday night in Bangkok, and defender Park Jin-seop had a particularly emphatic celebration. As soon as his right-footed shot from close range found the back of the net at Rajamangala Stadium, Park got down on both knees and raised his arms, and let out a primal scream of pure, unbridled joy. It was Park's first international goal in his sixth international ma

SoccerMarch 27, 2024

With Olympics looming, nat'l football caretaker coach not interested in double duty

For South Korea's two World Cup qualifying matches, Hwang Sun-hong was thrust into a difficult situation. Hwang, head coach of the South Korean under-23 men's team trying to qualify for the Olympics, was named the senior squad's caretaker manager for March. His job was to hold the fort for two matches against Thailand and keep South Korea atop their group in the Asian World Cup qualifying tournament, while the Korea Football Association continued its search for a full-time repla

SoccerMarch 27, 2024

Pirates' Bae Ji-hwan to begin new season on injured list

Bae Ji-hwan, the South Korean utility player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, will begin the 2024 regular season on the injured list. The Pirates finalized their Opening Day roster Monday, three days before the start of the new Major League Baseball season. Bae was not among the 26 players on the list, and the Pirates said Bae will be on the while dealing with a left hip flexor injury. The 24-year-old has not played in spring training since March 5. In 11 exhibition games, he batted .273 with an RBI,

BaseballMarch 26, 2024

S. Korean football player returns home after 10-month detention in China

South Korean football player Son Jun-ho returned home Monday after being detained in China for around 10 months, authorities here said. Son, a national team veteran who plays for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League, had been held in Liaoning province since last May on alleged bribery charges. The Korea Football Association confirmed Son's release, stating that he arrived in the country through Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway, west of Seoul. "We

SoccerMarch 25, 2024

American star Nelly Korda wins LPGA event hosted by Pak Se-ri

American star Nelly Korda has been crowned the champion at the inaugural LPGA event hosted by South Korean legend Pak Se-ri. Korda defeated fellow American Ryann O'Toole in a playoff to capture the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, California, on Sunday. The two golfers were tied at nine-under 275 after 72 holes but took different paths to get there. Korda bogeyed two of the last three holes to shoot a 69 in the final round, while O'Tool

GolfMarch 25, 2024

All 5 games sell out on 1st day of new KBO season

All five games on the first day of the new South Korean baseball season sold out Saturday, with over 100,000 fans enjoying the action nationwide. The defending Korean Series champions LG Twins hosted the Hanwha Eages in front of 23,750 fans at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, according to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). The game between the Lotte Giants and the SSG Landers at Incheon SSG Landers Park in Incheon, just west of Seoul, was played in front of a sellout crowd of 23,000. The Ki

BaseballMarch 23, 2024

Ex-MLB ace Ryu Hyun-jin fizzles in 1st KBO regular-season start since '12

Former major league ERA champion Ryu Hyun-jin struggled in his first regular-season start in South Korea since 2012 on Saturday, unable to live up to considerable pregame hype amid shaky command and shoddy defense behind him. Ryu, who rejoined the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in February after 11 years in the majors, gave up five runs on six hits and three walks in only 3 2/3 innings against the LG Twins in his Opening Day start at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Thre

BaseballMarch 23, 2024

LG Twins receive Korean Series championship rings before home opener

Members of the LG Twins received their 2023 South Korean baseball championship rings before their home opener in Seoul on Saturday. The Korean Series championship rings were presented before the Twins hosted the Hanwha Eagles to begin their 2024 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season at Jamsil Baseball Stadium. Representing the team, captain Oh Ji-hwan received his ring from Twins CEO Kim In-seog on the field during the pregame ceremony. The center of the ring features the image of the Korean

BaseballMarch 23, 2024

S. Korean Kim Chae-yeon wins bronze at figure skating worlds

South Korean figure skater Kim Chae-yeon has captured the bronze medal at the world championships in Canada for her first career medal at the annual competition. Kim scored 203.59 points overall to finish third in the women's singles behind Kaori Sakamoto of Japan (222.96 points) and Isabeau Levito of the United States (212.16 points) at the International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal on Friday (local time). Kim only ranked sixth after the short program with 6

More SportsMarch 23, 2024

Defending KBO champions Twins not fearing ex-MLB ace Ryu Hyun-jin in season opener

As they open their South Korean baseball title defense Saturday against former major league All-Star Ryu Hyun-jin, the LG Twins aren't backing away from the challenge. Ryu, the 36-year-old left-hander back with the Hanwha Eagles after 11 years in Major League Baseball (MLB), could spell trouble for left-handed batters, thanks to his cutters and changeups painting the corners to keep them off balance. The Twins will still send seven left-handed batters against Ryu, with manager Youm Kyoung-y

BaseballMarch 23, 2024

S. Korea held by Thailand in World Cup qualifying match at home

South Korea settled for a 1-1 draw against Thailand in their latest World Cup qualifying match at home Thursday, a disappointing result coming on the heels of off-field controversy for the national team. Captain Son Heung-min scored in the 42nd minute but Suphanat Mueanta had the answer for Thailand in the 61st minute at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Group C action of the second round in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. South Korea, world No. 22, s

SoccerMarch 21, 2024