The Korea Herald

Choi Kyung-ju named ambassador for Incheon Asiad

Choi Kyung-ju (Yonhap)INCHEON (Yonhap) ― PGA Tour veteran Choi Kyung-ju on Wednesday was named a goodwill ambassador for the upcoming Asian Games to be held in the South Korean city of Incheon.“It’s a great personal honor to be named an honorary ambassador for the Asian Games at home,” Choi said at Sky72 Golf and Resort in Incheon, where he is scheduled to play at the SK Telecom Open, co-sanctioned by the Korea PGA and OneAsia Tour, starting Thursday.“I hope to play well at the upcoming tourname

GolfMay 14, 2014

Choi Kyung-ju named ambassador for Incheon Asiad

End of the line: Korean soccer icon Park Ji-sung calls it quits

SUWON, Gyeonggi Province (Yonhap) ― Park Ji-sung, one of South Korea’s biggest soccer icons, retired from the sport on Wednesday at age 33, citing debilitating pain in his surgically repaired right knee.Park, former national team captain and the first South Korean to play in the English Premier League, was the picture of composure, flashing an occasional smile as he wrapped up an illustrious career that included joining South Korea’s historic run to the semifinals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.“I’v

SoccerMay 14, 2014

End of the line: Korean soccer icon Park Ji-sung calls it quits

With WC a month away, a lot to be done in Brazil

SAO PAULO (AP) ― It’s all coming down to the final 30 days.Brazil had seven years to get ready for the World Cup, but it enters the final month of preparations with a lot yet to be done.Three stadiums are still under construction, some of the temporary structures needed for matches are delayed and it remains unclear if all cities will have time to organize the mandatory fanfests.It’s already known that not all infrastructure will be completed no matter how much organizers rush before the June 12

SoccerMay 14, 2014

Yun Suk-young not at camp due to club’s schedule

South Korean defender Yun Suk-young of the Queens Park Rangers was unable to report to the country’s pre-World Cup training camp as scheduled on Wednesday, owing to his English club’s upcoming match.According to the Korea Football Association, Yun, who was named to South Korea’s 23-man roster for this year’s FIFA World Cup, had been set to report to the camp at the National Football Center in Paju, north of Seoul, on Wednesday. However, QPR, which has qualified for a promotion playoff final agai

SoccerMay 14, 2014

Korean football icon Park Ji-sung announces retirement

Park Ji-sung, one of South Korea's biggest football icons, retired from the sport on Wednesday at age 33, citing debilitating pain in his surgically repaired right knee.Park made the announcement at JS Football Center, named after his initials in Suwon, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul. He grew up in the city, where he also has a street named after him.Park played his last official match on May 3 with the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven and ended his second tour of duty with the Dutch club with a 2-0

SoccerMay 14, 2014

Korean football icon Park Ji-sung announces retirement

Four German-based players join pre-World Cup camp

Four Germany-based South Korean footballers recently named to the World Cup squad reported to the national team training camp on Tuesday, ready to turn their focus to the summer's big tournament.Bayer Leverkusen attacker Son Heung-min headlined the list of the four Bundesliga players to arrive at the National Football Center in Paju, just north of Seoul, a day after head coach Hong Myung-bo opened the weeks-long preparation for the World Cup with nine players on handDefensive back Hong Jeong-ho

SportsMay 13, 2014

China star Sun back from ban in style

BEIJING (AFP) ― Chinese swimming star Sun Yang returned to the pool in style by winning a national title after a six month ban for his latest run-in with authorities, sparking online debate Tuesday.Sports officials suspended the double Olympic champion from competition, national team training and commercial activities last November after he was given seven days’ detention for driving a Porsche without a license.He won the 200m freestyle title on his comeback at the Chinese National Swimming Cham

More SportsMay 13, 2014

LeBron scores 49 as Heat beat Nets

NEW YORK (AP) ― LeBron James tied his playoff career high with 49 points, Chris Bosh made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 on Monday night for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.James carried the Heat nearly the entire way until Bosh hit the shot that put Miami ahead for good. Ray Allen followed with four free throws and James finished it off with one more, putting the Heat in position to wrap it up at home Wednesday in

More SportsMay 13, 2014

Astros shutout by Rangers

Texas Rangers’ Choo Shin-soo prepares to bat against the Houston Astros on Monday. ( AP-Yonhap)HOUSTON (AP) ― Rougned Odor has had a rough start to his Major League career. Things quickly turned around for him on Monday night.The rookie second baseman collected his first home run and drove in his first two runs as Colby Lewis threw 5 2-3 shutout innings, and Adrian Beltre also homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros.Odor, who entered Monday just 2 for 12, had two h

BaseballMay 13, 2014

Ferdinand to leave United after 12 years

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Rio Ferdinand brought his trophy-filled, 12-year stay at Manchester United to an end on Monday by announcing he would be leaving Old Trafford to continue his playing career.The 35-year-old Ferdinand, who became England’s most expensive player when he joined United from Leeds for 29.1 million pounds in 2002, has not been offered an extension to his contract that expires next month.He suggested, however, that his departure was on his own terms, saying in a statement: “I

SoccerMay 13, 2014

Kaymer holds on to win Players

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (AP) ― Martin Kaymer produced one of the most unlikely pars on the 17th green at the TPC Sawgrass without ever going in the water. It carried him to a one-shot victory Sunday in The Players Championship that was emotional in so many ways.Kaymer nearly blew a three-shot lead after a 90-minute rain delay until he holed a 30-foot par putt on the famous island green. He got up-and-down with his putter from short of the 18th green for one last par and a 1-under 71. Martin K

GolfMay 12, 2014

Veterans advise team to bear down

As South Korea opened its training camp Monday ahead of this year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil, those who have experienced the big tournament said their green teammates should bear down and put in even more work than before.On the 23-man roster for this year’s tournament, five played at the previous World Cup in South Africa four years ago. Goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong was the No. 1 custodian then. Midfielders Ki Sung-yueng and Lee Chung-yong were integral pieces in South Korea’s run to the round of

SoccerMay 12, 2014

No easy opponent for Korea in Group H

When South Korea drew Algeria, Belgium and Russia in Group H at the World Cup draw held in December in Brazil, you could almost hear sighs of relief by South Korean brass on the other side of the globe in Seoul.After all, South Korea avoided Spain, the defending World Cup champ and world No. 1, among other European powerhouses, and also South American contenders such as Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.Yet to view Group H as an easy one for South Korea is to dismiss the quality of the three other t

SoccerMay 12, 2014

LG Twins name ex-pitching coach new manager

The LG Twins, the struggling Korea Baseball Organization club, have named former pitching coach Yang Sang-moon as their new manager.The Seoul-based club said it signed Yang through 2017 for 1.35 billion won ($1.32 million).The 53-year-old served as the Twins’ pitching coach in 2002 and 2003, and again in 2007 and 2008. He’d been an analyst for the cable station MBC Sports.The Twins’ managerial post had been vacant since Kim Ki-tai abruptly offered to resign before a game on April 23. Bench coach

BaseballMay 12, 2014

Leverkusen bags Champions spot

Leverkusen’s Son Heung-min celebrates with fans after the team’s match on Saturday. ( AFP-Yonhap)BERLIN (AP) ― Nuremberg and Eintracht Braunschweig were relegated on the final day of the Bundesliga season Saturday, while Bayer Leverkusen clinched the last Champions League qualification place.Leverkusen came from behind to beat Werder Bremen 2-1 and secure fourth place immediately above Wolfsburg, which beat sixth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1. “We knew we had to win,” Leverkusen striker E

SoccerMay 11, 2014

Spieth, Kaymer tied for lead

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (AP) ― Jordan Spieth couldn’t see any of the 240 yards to the green on the toughest hole at the TPC Sawgrass. He was in the rough so far right of the 14th fairway that he was closer to a water hazard on No. 12 that he didn’t know even existed. His ball was on the back side of a mound. One wrong move could have led to a big number.“Probably the best shot I’ve hit here this week,’’ Spieth said Saturday.The contact was perfect. The ball landed about pin-high in a bunker,

GolfMay 11, 2014

Dodgers score six unanswered, rally past Giants

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp celebrates his homer in the eighth inning. (AFP-Yonhap)LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Once they got Matt Cain out of the game, Yasiel Puig and the Los Angeles Dodgers roughed up the San Francisco Giants’ stellar bullpen.Dee Gordon and Puig broke open a tie game with consecutive RBI doubles in the seventh, Matt Kemp homered in the eighth and the Dodgers beat the NL West-leading Giants 6-2 on Saturday.“Cain pitched a good game and pounded the zone,” Kemp said. “He threw strikes, m

BaseballMay 11, 2014

Dodgers score six unanswered, rally past Giants

Korea enters race to host Women’s WC

South Korea has entered the race to win the rights to host the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup along with four other countries, the global football governing body’s website showed Saturday.FIFA’s home page said England, France, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as South Korea, submitted their letters of intent to host the event that is held every four years.FIFA said with the exception of South Africa, the other four countries have expressed a desire to host the U20 Women’s World Cup set for 201

SoccerMay 11, 2014

S. Korea enters race to host 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

South Korea has entered the race to win the rights to host the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup along with four other countries, the global football governing body's website showed Saturday (Korea time).FIFA's home page said England, France, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as South Korea, submitted their letters of intent to host the games that are held every four years.FIFA said with the exception of South Africa, the other four countries have expressed a desire to host the U-20 Women's World

SoccerMay 10, 2014

Kaymer ties course record with 63

Bae Sang-moon plays a shot on the fifth green on Thursday. ( EPA-Yonhap)PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (AP) ― Martin Kaymer stopped thinking, started swinging and played his way into the record book Thursday in The Players Championship.Kaymer missed only two fairways. He putted for birdie on all but one hole. And the former PGA champion finished with four straight birdies to become only the fourth player to shoot 9-under 63 on the Stadium Course at the TPC Sawgrass, giving him a two-shot lead over R

GolfMay 9, 2014