Ex-NHL forward Matt Murley signs with Korean club

Former National Hockey League forward Matt Murley has signed with a South Korean club, his new team announced Wednesday.The Daemyung Killer Whales in the Asia League Ice Hockey said they've acquired the 37-year-old American forward. Murley made his ALIH debut last season with the Oji Eagles in Japan, picking up 19 goals and 44 assists for 63 points, good for fifth in the league.This undated photo, provided by the Daemyung Killer Whales hockey club, shows American forward Matt Murley skating for

More SportsJuly 19, 2017

[Newsmaker] Uli Stielike leaves Korea

Former national football team head coach Uli Stielike has left South Korea and returned to his home country, officials in Seoul said Wednesday.The Korea Football Association said Stielike departed for Germany on Saturday, one month after he was sacked as the men's national football team boss.The KFA said Stielike had a luncheon with his former backroom staff, including assistant coaches Jung Hae-sung and Seol Ki-hyeon, before leaving South Korea.The KFA said Stielike didn't leave a message for S

SoccerJuly 19, 2017

Unlikely friends 'find niche' with website, podcast on Korean baseball

Two unlikely friends, one from Ireland and the other from the United States, have teamed up to launch a website dedicated to -- of all things -- South Korean professional baseball.They even record a weekly podcast on the Korea Baseball Organization, discussing a wide range of topics related to the league with knowledge and expertise that would put casual Korean fans to shame. The two have also managed to interview former and current KBO players, and Andrew Farrell and Brian Richards say they're

BaseballJuly 19, 2017

Ex-MLB player James Loney expects to play 'at a high level' in Korea

Having signed with a South Korean club, former major league first baseman James Loney said Tuesday he expects a lot out of himself in the new league and the new country.The LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization announced their signing of Loney earlier in the day. The 33-year-old will make $350,000 the rest of the season.The first round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002 has 11 major league seasons under his belt, and his last big league season came with the New York Mets in 2016.This

BaseballJuly 18, 2017

Ex-big leaguer James Loney joins Korean club

Former major league first baseman James Loney has joined a South Korean club.The LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization announced Tuesday they've signed Loney to a $350,000 deal for the rest of the season. The 33-year-old first baseman with 11 big league seasons to his credit is replacing Luis Jimenez, a third baseman who was struggling in his third KBO season.Loney was selected 19th overall in the 2002 Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played six and a half seasons

BaseballJuly 18, 2017

Understanding Ex-MLB pitcher Noesi‘s sudden KBO dominance

Kia Tigers pitcher Hector Noesi delivers a pitch against the NC Dinos in a game on July 11, 2017. (Yonhap)After a season and a half in the Korean Baseball Organization, Hector Noesi has become a bonafide star as the ace of the first place Kia Tigers. Noesi has won his last 15 decisions, a KBO record, and is on pace to break the KBO single season record for wins by a foreign-born pitcher.With all this success, one would be easily forgiven for thinking this Hector Noesi is a different player than

BaseballJuly 18, 2017

Korean city Yongin says nothing confirmed on hosting pro football club

South Korean city Yongin said Tuesday that nothing has been confirmed on hosting a pro football club in its region, denying rumors that it has contacted Jeju United in the top domestic league.Yongin, a city in Gyeonggi Province located 50 kilometers south of Seoul, will complete the construction of a multi-sport stadium with 37,155 seats in November. To make the stadium sustainable, it was suspected the city would host a sports franchise and it was rumored to be talking with Jeju United.But a ci

SoccerJuly 18, 2017

Nexen Heroes release slumping American hitter Danny Dorn

The South Korean baseball club Nexen Heroes announced Tuesday they've released struggling American hitter Danny Dorn.The former Arizona Diamondbacks player batted just .140 (7-for-50) with a home run and two RBIs in 20 games this season. The 32-year-old was one of the least productive import bats this season, after hitting .295 with 16 homers and 70 RBIs in his first KBO season in 2016. In this file photo taken on March 15, 2017, Danny Dorn, then of the Nexen Heroes, watches a pitch against the

BaseballJuly 18, 2017

Korean winger in China hoping for nat'l football team call-up

South Korean winger Hwang Il-su said Tuesday he believes he can still earn a call-up to the national football team despite his move to a Chinese club.Hwang joined Chinese Super League outfit Yanbian Funde from South Korean side Jeju United last week. The 29-year-old said even though he is away from home, he will try to catch the eyes of the new national football team head coach Shin Tae-yong for upcoming World Cup qualifiers."If I can play regularly in the Chinese league and perform well, I thin

SoccerJuly 18, 2017

Injured Korean midfielder dropped from EPL club's preseason tour

South Korean midfielder Lee Chung-yong has been dropped from his English Premier League club's preseason tour in Hong Kong due to injury.Lee will not join Crystal Palace at the Premier League Asia Trophy friendly tournament, which also features Liverpool, Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion, according to London-based newspaper the Croydon Advertiser on Tuesday (Seoul time). It reported that Lee and his teammate James McArthur are not with the team in Hong Kong because they have picked up inj

SoccerJuly 18, 2017

Teen golfer hoping for Hall of Fame induction after runner-up finish at major

INCHEON -- On the heels of an impressive performance at the oldest major championship in women's golf, South Korean teenager Choi Hye-jin said Tuesday she hopes to enter the LPGA Hall of Fame someday.Choi returned home early Tuesday after finishing runner-up to fellow South Korean Park Sung-hyun at the US Women's Open at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Choi shot a nine-under 279 to end up two strokes behind the champion.Choi, 17, came close to becoming the first amateur champ

GolfJuly 18, 2017

Korea toughens academic requirements for university footballers

South Korea on Monday announced new rules for the national school football leagues that include strict academic requirements for university student-athletes.The Korea Football Association said only the schools that adopt the so-called "C grade system" will be allowed to compete in the U League, a KFA-organized circuit for university football clubs, starting from 2018. Under the C grade system, students who earned an average grade of C or below for two consecutive semesters will not be able to co

SoccerJuly 17, 2017

Foreign hitters find mixed results in first season in KBO

Halfway into the 2017 Korean Baseball Organization season, foreign hitters new to the KBO have experienced mixed results, some adapting quickly and thriving, and others struggling to grasp the nuances of playing baseball in Korea.The success stories are impressive. Roger Bernadina has slashed .314/.375/.529 for the league-leading Kia Tigers, and was elected as an All-Star starter. Samsung’s Darin Ruf has overcome his slow start, and is slashing .294/.394/.528. NC’s Xavier Scruggs is currently on

BaseballJuly 17, 2017

Kickoff time changed for Korea's World Cup qualifier vs. Iran

The national football governing body said Monday the kickoff time for South Korea's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Iran has been changed.The Korea Football Association announced that the match between South Korea and Iran will start at 9 p.m. at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Aug. 31, 30 minutes later than originally scheduled. The two teams are in Group A in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In this file photo taken on March 28, 2017, South Korean football

SoccerJuly 17, 2017

[Newsmaker] Park Sung-hyun wins US Women’s Open

South Korea‘s Park Sung-hyun won her first major golf title Sunday, firing her second consecutive five-under par 67 to capture the US Women’s Open as US President Donald Trump watched.　Park, the event’s seventh South Korean winner in 10 years, finished 72 holes at Trump National on 11-under 277 to defeat 17-year-old South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin by two strokes.　“I am excited and happy,” Park said through a translator. “It feels unreal to a certain extent.”　Deadlocked for the lead with Choi,

GolfJuly 17, 2017

Korean-born Russian short tracker wants to enjoy self at PyeongChang 2018

At the advanced age of 31, Victor An, South Korean-born Russian short track speed skater, knows next year's Winter Olympics in his native land could well be his last.And when the PyeongChang Winter Games roll around next February, An just wants to enjoy himself."Throughout my career, I've competed under a lot of pressure," An told reporters after practice with the rest of the Russian national team in Seoul on Monday. The Russian skaters arrived at Korea National Sport University last week.Victor

More SportsJuly 17, 2017

US Women's Open champ Park Sung-hyun soars to No. 5 in world golf rankings

Thanks to her first LPGA major title at the US Women's Open, South Korean Park Sung-hyun soared to No. 5 in the latest women's world rankings announced Monday.Park shot an 11-under 277 to win the oldest women's major championship by two strokes on Sunday (local time) in New Jersey. The 23-year-old shot back-to-back rounds of 67s over the weekend to get past South Korean amateur Choi Hye-jin.It was Park's first LPGA win and her maiden major.The victory catapulted her to a career-high No. 5 in the

GolfJuly 17, 2017

More than 100,000 footballers are registered in Korea

The number of registered footballers in South Korea has surpassed the 100,000 mark, the sport's national governing body said Monday.The Korea Football Association said the 100,000th player -- an elementary school student -- was registered in its database last Friday, and there are now more than 100,000 footballers -- including both pro and amateur -- in the country.The number of registered footballers has more than tripled from a year earlier. Such a rapid hike is due to last year's merger with

SoccerJuly 17, 2017

Sports ministry requests prosecution probe into baseball league's alleged bid rigging

The sports ministry said Monday it has requested a prosecution probe into suspected bid rigging by the national professional baseball league.The ministry said its own preliminary investigation revealed a series of wrongdoings by the Korea Baseball Organization when it solicited bids for a company to handle its business in China.The KBO sought to break into the Chinese market in 2016, and a senior official in charge of the tender, surnamed Kang, rigged the process so that a company run by his fam

BaseballJuly 17, 2017

Trump congratulates Korea's Park on golf championship win

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump congratulated South Korean Park Sung-hyun on winning the US Women's Open on Sunday.Trump, who attended the oldest major championship in women's golf at his namesake golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, posted to his Twitter account, "Congratulations to Sung Hyun Park on winning the 2017 @USGA #USWomensOpen."This AP photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump waving while watching the US Women's Open at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on

GolfJuly 17, 2017