PyeongChang to form joint working group with IOC to speed up Olympic prep

The South Korean organizers of the 2018 Winter Games said Sunday they will form a joint task force with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to "expedite" their decision-making process.In a statement, the organizing committee for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics said the agreement was reached during the IOC Executive Board meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday, local time. The joint body will be called the "Integration Working Group."According to the committee, the joint working group

Olympic GamesMarch 1, 2015

Lydia Ko shoots 61 in New Zealand Women's Open

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a course-record and career-best 11-under 61 on Saturday to take the early second-round lead in the New Zealand Women's Open.The 17-year-old New Zealander, coming off a victory Sunday in the Women's Australian Open, broke the Clearwater record of 63 set last year by Mi Hyang Lee in her victory.Ko rebounded from an opening bogey with an eagle on the par-5 second and birdied Nos. 4-7, 9-13 and 18. ``I didn't know what I was shooting but when I went past the scoreboard on 13

SportsFeb. 28, 2015

Park asks S. Korean firms to sponsor PyeongChang Winter Olympics

President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday asked South Korea's top business leaders to actively sponsor the country's first-ever Winter Olympics to be held in 2018 as part of efforts to stage a successful competition.  "We urgently need the interest and assistance of the business community for a successful PyeongChang Winter Olympics," Park said in a meeting with about two dozen leaders, including Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., and Chung Eui-son, vice chairman at Hyundai Motor G

Olympic GamesFeb. 24, 2015

Rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae honored as nation's top amateur athlete

Rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae was honored on Tuesday as South Korea's top amateur athlete of 2014.  Son, one of the country's most visible athletes, was named Athlete of the Year at the annual Coca-Cola Sports Awards, which has been honoring amateur athletes since 1995.  Last fall, Son became the first South Korean to win an Asian Games gold in rhythmic gymnastics, taking the individual all-around title on home soil in Incheon. At the world championships held before the Asian Games, Son finished

More SportsFeb. 24, 2015

Golf: Ko beats Yang for Australian Open crown

MELBOURNE (AFP) - Teenage world No.1 Lydia Ko added the Australian Open to her growing list of achievements with a two-stroke win at Royal Melbourne on Sunday.The 17-year-old New Zealander became the youngest-ever world No.1 earlier this month and is now the youngest player to win the Australian Open crown.It was her first tournament victory since moving to the top of the world rankings.Despite the hot and steamy conditions, Ko finished at nine under 283 after a closing two-under 71 to claim the

GolfFeb. 22, 2015

17-year-old golfer Lydia Ko already looking to retirement

Only 17, top-ranked Lydia Ko says she's already planning to retire from golf by the time she's 30, and become a psychologist.Ko makes her second start at No. 1 in Thursday's first round of the Women's Australian Open at Royal Melbourne along with Karrie Webb and Australia's Su Oh, who won the Australian Ladies Masters last week in her second start as a professional.The South Korean-born Ko says she will soon start an on-line psychology degree to prepare for life after golf."I say my plan is to r

GolfFeb. 18, 2015

Mixed short program performance for S. Koreans at Four Continents

It was a mixed bag of results for the three South Koreans competing in the short program of the ladies' singles at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships on Friday.   The reigning national champion, Park So-youn, scored 53.47 points to rank 10th after a sloppy routine that included an under-rotated jump and a botched spin.   Kim Hae-jin, a three-time national champ who has struggled this season, scored 51.41 points with a relatively clean program, and positioned herself in 11th place. 

SportsFeb. 13, 2015

S. Korea jumps 15 spots to No. 54 in latest FIFA rankings

Buoyed by its runner-up finish at the AFC Asian Cup in January, South Korea jumped 15 spots to No. 54 in the latest FIFA rankings announced on Thursday.South Korea soared in the FIFA standings after staying at No. 69 -- its all-time low -- over the past three months.At the Asian Cup in Australia, South Korea won its first five matches before losing to the host in the final.There were other changes among AFC member states in the latest rankings. Iran, despite getting eliminated in the quarters at

SoccerFeb. 12, 2015

Organizers for 2018 Winter Games to commemorate three-year countdown

The organizers of the 2018 Winter Olympics in the South Korean resort town of PyeongChang said Friday they will hold a commemorative event marking the three-year countdown of the competition.  The Winter Games organizing committee said the three-hour celebration will be held in PyeongChang, a resort town some 180 kilometers east of Seoul, on Monday. The Olympics, the first Winter Games in South Korea, will kick off on Feb. 9, 2018.  Before the start of the ceremony, the organizers will allow par

Olympic GamesFeb. 6, 2015

Ex-speed skater Lee Kyou-hyuk named honorary ambassador for PyeongChang Olympics

Lee Kyou-hyuk, a former Olympic speed skater, was named an honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games on Friday.  Lee, 37, will be formally introduced as the goodwill ambassador on Monday, when the Olympic organizers are scheduled to host a celebration of the three-year countdown to the competition.  Lee is a six-time Olympian who has set two world records in his career. The four-time world sprint champion has competed in more Olympics, winter or summer, than any other South Korea

Olympic GamesFeb. 6, 2015

Swimmer Park Tae-hwan's doctor indicted for negligence

A doctor who allegedly injected a banned substance into South Korean swimmer Park Tae-hwan was indicted Friday on charges of professional negligence, prosecutors said.  The move comes after Park, a four-time Olympic medalist and two-time world champ, tested positive for testosterone in a recent World Anti-Doping Agency test. Park claimed the doctor had given him an injection without fully disclosing that it could contain a banned substance.  The doctor, identified only by his surname Kim, admini

More SportsFeb. 6, 2015

S. Korea's U-23 football coach quits with leukemia

Lee Kwang-jong, who coached South Korea's under-23 men's football team to the gold medal at last year's Asian Games, has stepped down to deal with leukemia, officials said.  The Korea Football Association said late Thursday it convened a technical committee meeting and named Shin Tae-yong, an assistant coach on the senior national team, as Lee's replacement. The KFA said Lee, 50, was recently diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. It also said Shin's replacement on the senior national team wi

SoccerFeb. 6, 2015

Gov't mulls tax cuts for golfers on cue from president

The government is weighing various measures to vitalize golf, an official said Wednesday, quickly picking up a cue from President Park Geun-hye who a day earlier said the sport should be played more.  The senior official said a meeting with the related ministries will be held soon to check on what can be done.   "Lowering taxes has been one of the main demands by golfers and country clubs in the past," said the finance ministry insider, who declined to be identified. Lowering golf-related taxes

GolfFeb. 4, 2015

Messi, Neymar lead Barca to 3-2 comeback, Arsenal wins

BARCELONA (AP) ― Lionel Messi and Neymar both scored to help Barcelona come from behind twice to beat Villarreal 3-2 and stay in the hunt for the Spanish league title on Sunday.Messi and Neymar netted their 22nd and 15th league goals of the season respectively as Luis Enrique’s Barcelona never lost its nerve, and answered sixth-place Villarreal goal for goal to end the visitor’s club record run of 18 games without a loss.“With those guys up front, it can’t get any better,” said midfielder Rafina

More SportsFeb. 2, 2015

Four Koreans named to team of tournament at AFC Asian Cup

Four players from the runner-up South Korea were named on Monday to the team of the tournament at the AFC Asian Cup.Winger Son Heung-min, midfielder Ki Sung-yueng and defenders Kwak Tae-hwi and Cha Du-ri were among the 11 players selected to the AFC Asian Cup Dream Team.Son led South Korea with three goals, despite missing a match in group stage with the flu. Ki, the South Korean captain, made 408 passes, more than anyone in the tournament. Kwak started the tournament on the bench but worked his

More SportsFeb. 2, 2015

S. Korea gets hero's welcome after runner-up finish

The South Korean men's national football team received a hero's welcome on Sunday upon returning home from the AFC Asian Cup in Australia, where it posted the country's best result in nearly three decades.Coached by Uli Stielike, South Korea finished second to Australia in the quadrennial continental competition. In the taut final on Saturday in Sydney, Australia prevailed 2-1 thanks to an extra-time score by James Troisi.South Korea trailed 1-0 with about a minute left in regulation when Son He

SoccerFeb. 2, 2015