Japanese figure skating star Mao Asada bids farewell

TOKYO (AP) -- One of Japan’s most popular athletes should have known she couldn’t leave quietly: Mao Asada’s press conference Wednesday to officially announce her retirement from figure skating attracted some 350 media and was telecast live across Japan.　 Asada led her country’s figure skating scene since her teens with her trademark triple axel. She started skating at the age of 5 and won world championships in 2008, 2010 and 2014 in an illustrious career that included a silver medal at the 201

More SportsApril 12, 2017

Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan gives up run for 3rd straight outing

St. Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan has given up an earned run for his third straight appearance, as the usually reliable right-hander remained in a funk in the early going of the 2017 season.Oh allowed a run on two doubles in one inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington on Tuesday (local time), as the Cards fell 8-3.The South Korean has now been touched for at least an earned run in each of his three outings this season. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Oh Seung-h

BaseballApril 12, 2017

Jeju Island to host Korea 1st PGA Tour event in Oct.

JEJU, South Korea -- The southern resort island of Jeju will host South Korea's first PGA Tour event this fall, officials said Wednesday.The Jeju provincial government said it will sign an agreement with the PGA Tour and CJ Group, the title sponsor of the tournament named the CJ Cup@Nine Bridges, at a ceremony on Thursday. Sohn Kyung-shik, chairman of CJ Group (left), and Jay Monahan, then deputy commissioner of the PGA Tour, pose with their agreements in Seoul after CJ signed on to host the CJ

GolfApril 12, 2017

Women's football coach says real work begins after qualifying for Asian event

South Korean women's football head coach Yoon Duk-yeo said the real work for his team begins now, after they qualified for next year's top Asian competition.South Korea won the Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup Group B qualifying tournament Tuesday, thanks to a 4-0 win over Uzbekistan in Pyongyang. South Korea and North Korea finished tied at 10 points with identical records of three wins and a draw, but the South had a better goal difference, plus-20 to plus-17. The South Korea wom

SoccerApril 12, 2017

Anyang Halla win 2nd straight Asian hockey title

ANYANG, South Korea -- South Korean club Anyang Halla captured their second straight Asian hockey title with an overtime victory at home on Tuesday.Kim Ki-sung scored the championship-clinching goal on a power play to lift Anyang past Sakhalin 3-2 for the Asia League Ice Hockey championship, as the home team completed a three-game sweep of the best-of-five final at Anyang Ice Arena in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province. Anyang also beat Sakhalin for the championship last year. Anyang forward Kim Sang-woo

More SportsApril 12, 2017

FC Seoul beat Western Sydney to stay alive in AFC Champions League

FC Seoul hung on to defeat Western Sydney Wanderers 3-2 on Tuesday to stay alive in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League.Montenegrin striker Dejan Damjanovic grabbed a brace for FC Seoul at Campbelltown Stadium in Sydney, giving the K League Classic club their first victory in Group F after three straight losses. Western Sydney scored two second-half goals but couldn't cut the deficit any further. Lee Seok-hyun of FC Seoul (second from R) is congratulated by teammates after scoring

SoccerApril 12, 2017

Korean women clinch Asian Cup berth with 4-0 win over Uzbekistan

The South Korea women's national football team on Tuesday clinched a place in next year's top Asian competition after beating Uzbekistan 4-0 in North Korea.South Korea scored three goals in the first half against Uzbekistan at Kim Il-sung Stadium in Pyongyang to win the Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup Group B qualifying tournament, which also featured North Korea, Hong Kong and India.The South Korea women's national football team celebrates after winning the Women's Asian Cup Grou

SoccerApril 12, 2017

Badminton star Lee Yong-dae welcomes daughter

Korean badminton player Lee Yong-dae became a father Monday.Lee shared the moment with fans via his Instagram account. “Han-bang’s mom went through difficulties during the delivery, but she made it. I appreciate my wife and all who celebrated the news,” Lee said in the caption. Han-bang is the baby’s nickname.Lee’s wife, Byun Soo-mi, also posted a picture of her daughter on her Instagram account, writing, “I delivered a beautiful princess through natural birth.”  (Lee's Instagram)The athlete and

More SportsApril 11, 2017

Korean football legend says Son Heung-min can break his scoring record

South Korean football legend Cha Bum-kun said Tuesday it's only a matter of time before Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-min breaks his scoring record in Europe.Cha holds the single season scoring record by a South Korean in Europe with 19 goals in all competitions during the 1985-86 season for the German side Bayer Leverkusen.Son, 24, is currently just one shy of Cha's record, after scoring twice against Watford in the English Premier League on Saturday. South Korean football icon Cha Bum-k

SportsApril 11, 2017

S. Korean U-20 team to play friendly with Asian club soccer champs

The South Korean national under-20 soccer team will play a friendly with defending Asian club football champions later this month to tune up for the upcoming FIFA competition, the sport’s national governing body said Tuesday.The Korea Football Association said the U-20 team will have a friendly match with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on April 26 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, to check their preparations for the FIFA U-20 World Cup which will be staged from May 20 to June 11 in six local cities.  Th

SoccerApril 11, 2017

World figure skating champ Mao Asada retires

TOKYO -- Japanese figure skater Mao Asada is retiring.The 26-year-old Asada, the three-time world champion, says she lost her motivation after underperforming last season.She noted her best performances were in 2014, when she won her third world title and finished sixth at the Sochi Olympics.Silver medallist Mao Asada, of Japan, poses for photographs with her medal after the victory ceremony for the women's figure skating competition at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

More SportsApril 11, 2017

Korea target quarterfinals at FIFA U-20 World Cup: coach

South Korea men's under-20 football coach Shin Tae-yong on Monday said the primary goal of his side at the upcoming FIFA competition at home is to reach the quarterfinals.South Korea will host the FIFA U-20 World Cup from May 20 to June 11 in six cities. Shin's side will face Argentina, England and Guinea in Group A at the 24-team tournament. The top two teams from six groups will advance to the round of 16, along with four third-place teams. Shin Tae-yong, head coach of the South Korean men's u

SoccerApril 10, 2017

FC Seoul looking to stay alive at AFC Champions League

FC Seoul will try to end their winless drought as four South Korean football clubs resume their Asian competition actions this week.Seoul are the defending champions of the top-flight K League Classic, but they are on the brink of elimination at the 2017 Asian Football Confederation Champions League. Seoul, led by head coach Hwang Sung-hong, have yet to collect a win after three matches in Group F, where they compete against Shanghai SIPG of China, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan and Western Sydney

SoccerApril 10, 2017

Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan serves up home run for 2nd straight outing

St. Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan has served up a home run for his second straight outing, as his shaky start to the 2017 season continues.Oh gave up a solo shot against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Sunday (local time) in the Cardinals' 8-0 loss.Oh Seung-hwan (Yonhap)This was Oh's first appearance since the season opener the previous Sunday. He hadn't been in a save situation with the Cardinals losing three in a row and then beating the Reds 10-4 on Saturday.Oh too

BaseballApril 10, 2017

Young baseball franchise off to fast start -- again

In the topsy-turvy start to the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season, the third-year franchise KT Wiz have emerged as the unlikely leader of the pack.The Wiz, which had the league's worst record in each of the past two seasons, are sitting at 7-1 through Sunday, after extending their winning streak to four with a 3-0 victory over the Samsung Lions at home in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.Starter Ryan Feierabend threw a four-hit shutout, striking out 11 to improve to 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA this season

BaseballApril 10, 2017

Korean women's football on verge of clinching Asian Cup spot

The South Korean women's national football team will try to clinch a spot at the top Asian competition on Tuesday as they take on Uzbekistan in North Korea.South Korea and Uzbekistan will clash at Kim Il-sung Stadium in Pyongyang for their final match at the Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup Group B qualifying tournament, which also features North Korea, Hong Kong and India. South Korea are looking for their 12th consecutive appearance at the continental football tournament. South K

SoccerApril 10, 2017

S. Korea thrash Hong Kong in Women's Asian Cup qualifier in N. Korea

PYONGYANG (Joint Press Corps) -- South Korea thrashed Hong Kong 6-0 in a qualifying match for the top Asian women's football competition on Sunday.Cho So-hyun scored two penalties against Hong Kong at Kim Il-Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, and helped South Korea collect their second victory at the Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup Group B qualifying tournament, which also features North Korea, Uzbekistan and India.  Cho So-hyun (Yonhap)Only the top finisher in the group will advance to t

SoccerApril 10, 2017

With world title,Korean women‘s hockey takes another step forward before Olympics

By winning the world championship on home ice last weekend, South Korean women's hockey took a giant step forward in its build-up for its Olympic debut next year.South Korea defeated the Netherlands 2-0 on Saturday to clinch the title at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship Division II Group A at Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.(Yonhap)South Korea, world No. 23, won all five games it played, and will now move up to Division I Group B, the third

More SportsApril 10, 2017

Two-time world champion wins women's short track Olympic trials

Two-time world overall champion Choi Min-jeong won the women's Olympic short track trials with ease on Saturday, while upsets abounded on the men's side.Choi won both the 1,000m and 1,500m super final races at the Olympic trials at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul. Choi had also won the 500m and 1,500m races a day earlier.Choi, who won the world overall titles in 2015 and 2016, will be making her Olympic debut on home ice at the PyeongChang Winter Games next February.She had a clean sweep of all races

More SportsApril 9, 2017

N. Korean hockey disappointment despite closing win at women's worlds in S. Korea

GANGNEUNG, South Korea (Yonhap) -- Once a strong women's hockey nation, North Korea has fallen on hard times of late, barely able to stay afloat in the fourth-tier international competition.It took North Korea a late rally to defeat Slovenia 4-2 to close out the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship Division II Group A on Saturday at Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. With the win -- unimpressive for the most part -- North Korea just avoided finishing

More SportsApril 9, 2017