Pyongyang world youth judo event can be delayed due to inter-Korean tension

The head of the International Judo Federation has indicated a possibility of putting off the World Junior Championships set for October in North Korea, citing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, a US broadcaster said Thursday. "We are in the process of re-evaluating this opportunity (the World Junior Championships) and probably we will postpone until a more peaceful period," Voice of America quoted IJF President Marius Vizer as answering to a question about the progress in preparing for the upcomi

More SportsMarch 23, 2017

Korea to face Honduras, Zambia, Ecuador in prep for FIFA U-20 World Cup

South Korea will host an international football tournament featuring Honduras, Zambia and Ecuador this week to fine-tune their preparations for the FIFA U-20 World Cup at home.The U-20 national team was assembled on Sunday and has been training at the National Football Center in Paju, just north of Seoul, for the four-nation invitational tournament slated from Saturday to March 29. In this photo taken on March 19, 2017, the players for the South Korean national U-20 football team exercise during

SoccerMarch 23, 2017

Korean women win Asian handball title

South Korea won the Asian Women's Handball Championship on Wednesday with a 30-20 win over Japan at home.Host South Korea claimed its third straight Asian title at West Suwon Chilbo Gymnasium in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, thanks to Kim Jin-yi's team-high seven goals against the arch rival. Kim was also selected as the match MVP. South Korea's Choi Su-min (R) jumps to take a shot against Japanese players during the Asian Women's Handball Championship in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on March 22, 2017.

SportsMarch 22, 2017

Veteran pitchers turning back clock in preseason

Two veteran hurlers are turning back the clock in preseason baseball this month, as they battle for a spot on their respective rotations.Bae Young-soo of the Hanwha Eagles tossed four scoreless innings in a 7-4 win over the NC Dinos in their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Masan Stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Wednesday. The 35-year-old right-hander gave up only two hits while striking out four and walking none to pick up his second win of the preseason. Bae Youn

BaseballMarch 22, 2017

With solid spring outing, Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin on course for rotation return

With another solid spring outing in the books, South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, coming off two surgeries, appears on course for a return to the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation.Ryu tossed four scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday (local time) at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. The Dodgers ended up losing 5-4, as the Brewers' offense came to life immediately after Ryu left the game. (Yonhap)Ryu was perfect through the first two innings against the Brewers. He also struck o

BaseballMarch 22, 2017

S. Korea asks NK to warrant football players' safety for Pyongyang matches

The government has requested that North Korea guarantee the safety of South Korean football players for the AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifying matches to be held in Pyongyang next month, Seoul's unification ministry said Tuesday.The Asian Football Confederation Group B qualifying games will be held in North Korea from April 3-11. South Korean players will have a match with their North Korean counterparts on April 7.This file photo taken on Feb. 29, 2016, shows a women's football match between Sout

SoccerMarch 21, 2017

Korean snowboarder wins halfpipe title at Junior World Championships

South Korean snowboarder Cho Hyeon-min has won the men's halfpipe title at the International Ski Federation Junior World Championships in Switzerland. Cho, 15, scored 240 points in the halfpipe final event staged in Laax, Switzerland, on Monday (local time) and finished first among 18 competitors. He beat American snowboarder Toby Miller by 48 points. Chase Blackwell of the United States was third with a score of 144 points.  In this undated photo provided by the Korea Ski Association, South Kor

More SportsMarch 21, 2017

New imports on mound off to solid starts in spring

With one full week in spring training in the books, new imported arms in South Korean baseball are off to solid starts so far.The Korea Baseball Organization clubs are each permitted three foreign players, one of whom must be a position player. All 10 teams have opted to carry two pitchers, tasking them with carrying their rotations through the 144-game grind. Donn Roach of the KT Wiz throws a pitch against the Samsung Lions in their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Daegu Samsung Li

BaseballMarch 21, 2017

Korea meet China in World Cup qualification amid high tensions

 South Korea will resume their qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup this week as they take on China on the road amid growing tensions between two countries.The Group A match in the final Asian qualification round for the 2018 World Cup will kick off Thursday at 7:35 p.m. (local time) at Helong Stadium in Changsha, south central China. A Chinese police officer watches a training session of the South Korean national football team at Hunan Provincial People's Stadium in Changsha, China,

SoccerMarch 21, 2017

Junior figure skater hoping to improve spins

On the heels of a strong showing at her world championships debut, South Korean junior figure skater Lim Eun-soo said Monday she will try to improve her spins for the new season.Lim arrived home Monday after finishing fourth at the International Skating Union World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. She scored a personal-high of 180.81 points, and the fourth-place showing was the best by a South Korean junior skater since Kim Yu-na won it all in 2006.South Korean

More SportsMarch 20, 2017

Teen figure skater looking to add quad jump to new program

South Korean teenage figure skater Cha Jun-hwan said Monday he'll add a quadruple jump to his new program next season.Cha, 15, completed his junior career last week at the International Skating Union World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. He finished fifth overall with 242.24 points, a new personal best. South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan speaks to reporters at Incheon International Airport on March 20, 2017, after returning from the International Skating

More SportsMarch 20, 2017

Chun In-gee rises in world rankings after runner-up finish on LPGA Tour

South Korean Chun In-gee has moved up a spot in the women's world golf rankings thanks to a runner-up finish on the LPGA tour.Chun reached No. 3 in the latest rankings announced Monday, behind Lydia Ko of New Zealand and Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand. In this Associated Press photo, South Korea's Chun In-gee tees off on the eighth hole during the final round of the Bank of Hope Founders Cup tournament on the LPGA Tour on March 19, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Yonhap)Feng Shanshan of China slipped

GolfMarch 20, 2017

Korean midfielder to fall back on fond memories for World Cup qualifier vs. China

South Korean midfielder Koo Ja-cheol said Monday he will always have fond memories of playing against China to fall back on, ahead of the two teams' World Cup qualifier here later in the week.Koo was picked to man the midfield against China in Group A showdown of the final Asian World Cup qualifying round at Helong Stadium in Changsha, south central China, on Thursday. South Korean football players Ji Dong-won (left) and Koo Ja-cheol pose for photos after their press conference at Kempinski Hote

SoccerMarch 20, 2017

Korean winger has high expectations for nat'l football team debut

South Korean footballer Heo Yong-joon said Monday he has high expectations for the national team debut in the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers this month. Heo was a surprise pick by head coach Uli Stielike who announced his squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against China and Syria last week. South Korea will face China on the road on Thursday, before hosting Syria five days later for their Group A contests in the final Asian qualifying round.  South Korean footballer Heo Yong-joon s

SoccerMarch 20, 2017

Korean striker confident of scoring goals in World Cup qualifier vs. China

South Korean striker Lee Jeong-hyeop said Monday he is confident of scoring goals in the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier against China with his fine league form. Lee is one of the 23 players selected for South Korea's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against China and Syria this month. The Taeguk Warriors will first take on China on the road on Thursday, before hosting Syria on March 28 in the final Asian qualifying round for the FIFA World Cup in Russia. Sixteen players already departed for Cha

SoccerMarch 20, 2017

S. Korean Yun Sung-bin wins silver at skeleton World Cup

South Korean slider Yun Sung-bin captured the silver medal at the first skeleton World Cup held at the new Olympic track at home on Friday.　Yun finished runner-up to Martins Dukurs of Latvia by one hundredth of a second at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Cup at Alpensia Sliding Centre in PyeongChang, host of the 2018 Winter Olympics lying some 180 kilometers east of Seoul. Yoon Sung-bin (left) wins silver at skeleton World Cup (Yonhap)　The medalists were determin

More SportsMarch 17, 2017

Korea confirms schedule of U-20 int'l football tournament ahead of World Cup

South Korea will play Honduras first in an international football tournament created as a test event for the upcoming U-20 World Cup, the local organizing committee of the FIFA competition said Friday.The South Korean organizers previously said they will host the four-nation football tournament this month to test their readiness ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will run from May 20 to June 11. The invitational tournament features host South Korea, Zambia, Honduras and Ecuador, all partici

SoccerMarch 17, 2017

German skeleton slider wins inaugural race at Korean Olympic track

German skeleton slider Jacqueline Loelling won the inaugural race at the new South Korean Olympic venue on Friday.Loelling captured the women's skeleton gold medal at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Cup at Alpensia Sliding Centre in PyeongChang, host of the 2018 Winter Olympics lying some 180 kilometers east of Seoul. Jacqueline Loelling of Germany crosses the finish line in the women's skeleton event at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Cup at A

More SportsMarch 17, 2017

German set to become longest-serving nat'l football team coach for Korea

Former German international coach Uli Stielike is set to become the longest-serving head coach for the South Korean men's national football team following the FIFA World Cup qualifier against China next week. Stielike has been leading South Korea since Sept. 24, 2014. He will surpass former Huh Jung-moo's record of 911 days should he retain his job until next Friday, one day after South Korea squares off with China in the final Asian qualification round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Huh, now depu

SoccerMarch 17, 2017

PyeongChang launches Olympic cooperation projects with Tokyo, Beijing

Organizers of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games said Friday they've launched cooperation projects with their neighbors who are also preparing to host future Olympics.PyeongChang has agreed with Tokyo, host of the 2020 Summer Olympics, and Beijing, which will stage the 2022 Winter Games, to cooperate in two major areas: the efficient preparations of their respective Olympic Games and the promotion of the Olympic Movement.These ideas were reached at the meeting of executive directors of the three

Olympic GamesMarch 17, 2017