The Korea Herald

Poll: Koreans confident about advance at World Cup

A majority of South Koreans expect their national team to reach the round of 16 in the upcoming World Cup in Brazil, while picking Bundesliga player Son Heung-min as the greatest hope, a poll showed Thursday.At a draw last week, South Korea ended up in Group H along with Belgium, Algeria and Russia at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.South Korea will make its eighth consecutive appearance in the quadrennial football showcase.According to the survey conducted by Gallup Korea of 902 citizens here

SoccerDec. 12, 2013

Is Choo worth $140 million?

After most of the Major League’s top free agents have signed new contracts, Choo Shin-soo is heating up the league once again with his enormous demand of $140 million over seven years, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.The price tag on the 31-year-old outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds brings up a series of questions, which can all be summed up to this: Is he worth it?There is no doubt that the South Korean is a big contributor on offense. He is among the top players in terms of on-base

BaseballDec. 12, 2013

Making a statement

MADRID (AP) ― Olympiakos and Bayer Leverkusen reached the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, with either Juventus or Galatasaray set to join them after their match in Istanbul was abandoned because of a snowstorm.Match officials stopped play after 31 minutes, ruling the field was too dangerous to play on. The last hour will now be played on Wednesday, kicking off at 3 p.m. local time.Olympiakos beat eight-man Anderlecht 3-1 to advance, edging out two-time champion Benfica, whose 2-1 vic

SoccerDec. 11, 2013

Bach: Russia to set up protest zones in Sochi

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) ― IOC president Thomas Bach said Russia will set up public protest zones in Sochi during the Winter Olympics, a move unlikely to defuse criticism of the country’s human rights record and a recent law banning gay “propaganda.”With the opening ceremony less than two months away, Bach said Sochi organizers notified him of the decision during their report to the International Olympic Committee executive board on Tuesday.Bach, chairing his first board meeting since being el

Olympic GamesDec. 11, 2013

Sharing the wealth marked golf in 2013

THOUSAND OAKS, California (AP) ― Wanting to return among the elite in golf, Graeme McDowell mapped out a plan last fall. He figured out how many ranking points he would need to get back into the top five in the world.And he went about it the right way. It started with his win at the World Challenge a year ago. He won at Hilton Head on the PGA Tour. He won the World Match Play Championship and the French Open on the European Tour. He was third at World Golf Championships in Doral and Shanghai.“I’

BaseballDec. 11, 2013

IOC drops plagiarism probe into Moon DS

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) ― The International Olympic Committee has dropped an ethics investigation into a South Korean member accused of plagiarism.IOC president Thomas Bach says the ethics commission closed the case into athlete member Moon Dae-sung, a former gold medalist in taekwondo who was accused of plagiarizing much of his university doctorate thesis.The investigation began in April 2012.Bach says the IOC repeatedly asked the university for its own findings, but has yet to receive its d

Olympic GamesDec. 11, 2013

La Russa, Torre, Cox make Hall

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida (AP) ― Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox spent decades trying to beat each other, no holds barred. On this day, however, they were a mutual admiration society.And why not? They were going to the Hall of Fame together.With a combined eight World Series titles and more than 7,500 wins, the managerial trio made it to Cooperstown in results announced Monday. Each was unanimously selected when the 16 voters on the expansion era committee met a day earlier.“They’re not t

BaseballDec. 10, 2013

Halladay retires after 16 seasons

That dang Rally Squirrel still haunts Roy Halladay.Citing a desire to avoid surgery for an ailing back and wanting to spend more time with his family, the two-time Cy Young Award winner retired Monday after 16 seasons in the major leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies.Halladay signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Blue Jays, where he spent the first 12 years of his career. The 36-year-old right-hander choked up and held back tears while making the announce

BaseballDec. 10, 2013

Brazil tries to ease fears of violence

SAO PAULO (AP) ― As video of Brazilian fans kicking, beating and using metal bars to pummel supporters of a rival team spread across the globe, officials moved quickly to assure people considering coming to the 2014 World Cup that they won’t see that type of violence at the global tournament.A day after four people were hospitalized following clashes in a key match in the final round of the Brazilian league, World Cup organizers said Monday that fan safety will not be a problem during soccer’s s

SoccerDec. 10, 2013

Skater Kim Yu-na’s costume sparks dispute

South Korean designer Ahn Geu-mi found herself in hot water after netizens criticized her custom-made costume for top figure skater Kim Yu-na.In the 2013 Golden Spin of Zagreb in Croatia held on Friday, Kim put on a yellow dress designed by Ahn. When the show ended, some Korean netizens criticized the design of the dress, comparing it to “a pickled radish.”As a torrent of attacks hit the designer’s blog, Ahn was forced to suspend it.“It is the competition that is important, not the dress.” said

Olympic GamesDec. 10, 2013

Skater Kim Yu-na’s costume sparks dispute

[Photo News] 2013 Cass Point Award

Nexen’s Park Byung-ho grabs top award at ‘Cass’ awardsPark Byung-ho of the Nexen Heroes on Monday was honored with the top award at 2013 Cass Point Award for the second straight year.“I am so grateful to be here once again. This is doubly special because my team played well and made it in to the postseason,” Park said at the award ceremony held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. ”I went through some rough times, but I tried to be persistent.”Park, who was named MVP of the Korea Baseball Organization

BaseballDec. 10, 2013

Ronaldo, Messi, Ribery up for Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery are in the running for the Ballon d'Or.FIFA announced the shortlist Monday after voting rules changes made Ronaldo the favorite after helping Portugal qualify for the World Cup last month.FIFA gave voters _ national team captains and coaches, plus selected journalists _ two extra weeks to choose from 23 candidates, and even change preference. Ronaldo's hat trick against Sweden helped lift his tally to 67 goals for Portugal and Real Madrid in 2013

SoccerDec. 10, 2013

Ronaldo, Messi, Ribery up for Ballon d'Or

Johnson rallies to stifle Tiger

THOUSAND OAKS, California (AP) ― Zach Johnson put together the storybook finish at Sherwood on Sunday that for the longest time belonged to Tiger Woods.Johnson rallied from four shots behind with eight holes to play, holed out from a drop area for par on the last hole to force a playoff, and beat the No. 1 player in golf at the World Challenge when Woods missed a 5-foot par putt on the first extra hole.“Pretty impressive what he did,” Woods said. “He got me.”It was an extraordinary sendoff at Sh

GolfDec. 9, 2013

Kim vows to be better at Olympics

INCHEON (Yonhap News) ― Fresh off a convincing victory in Croatia, South Korean figure skater Kim Yu-na vowed Monday to perform even better at the Winter Olympics in Russia in two months’ time.Kim made a triumphant return home from Croatia, where she handily won the Golden Spin of Zagreb, her first event of the season. She was greeted by hundreds of fans at Incheon International Airport celebrating another victory by the reigning Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion.Kim scored 204.4

More SportsDec. 9, 2013

Everton shakes Arsenal swagger

BERLIN (AP) ― First-place Arsenal lost momentum in the Premier League Sunday, allowing a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Everton, while Fulham beat Aston Villa to give new manager Rene Meulensteen his first victory.Arsenal failed to take advantage of its main rivals’ stumbles on Saturday, as Everton substitute Gerard Deulofeu scored from a tight angle in the 84th minute.With upcoming matches against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points. Chel

SoccerDec. 9, 2013

Lions manager back with record deal

Ryu Joong-il, the manager of the three-time reigning South Korean baseball champ Samsung Lions, will be with the club for three more seasons after signing a record-breaking contract, the team announced Monday.The Korea Baseball Organization club said they re-signed Ryu for three more years, with an annual salary of 500 million won ($473,000) and a signing bonus of 600 million won. Ryu, 50, will be the first KBO manager to make 500 million won per season. Kim Kyung-moon of the NC Dinos and Cho Be

BaseballDec. 9, 2013

[Graphic News] 2014 FIFA World Cup draw

Group A　Brazil　Croatia　Mexico　Cameroon　　Group B　Spain　Netherlands　Chile　Australia　　Group C　Colombia　Greece　Ivory Coast　Japan　　Group D　Uruguay　Costa Rica　England　Italy Group E　Switzerland　Ecuador　France　Honduras　　Group F　Argentia　Bosnia-Herzegovina　Iran　Nigeria　　Group G　Germany　Portugal　Ghana　USA　　Group H　Belgium　Algeria　Russia　Republic of Korea

SoccerDec. 8, 2013

United, Chelsea lose as Liverpool climbs to 2nd

LONDON (AP) ― The most unpredictable Premier League season in years provided more surprises Saturday when Chelsea gave up a 90th-minute winner at Stoke and beleaguered defending champion Manchester United lost to Newcastle for its second home defeat in four days.With Manchester City held to a 1-1 draw at Southampton, Liverpool was able to capitalize. It routed West Ham 4-1 to go to second place, with Luis Suarez following his spectacular four-goal game by scoring again at Anfield.Arsenal kept it

SoccerDec. 8, 2013

United, Chelsea lose as Liverpool climbs to 2nd

S. Korean speed skater Mo wins gold in men's 1,000-meter World Cup race

South Korean speed skater Mo Tae-bum won gold in the 1,000-meter World Cup speed staking race in Berlin, brightening his prospects for next year's Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Mo, who won gold in the men's 500-meter and silver in the 1,000-meter races at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, finished at 1:09:50 in the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup series in Berlin on Saturday (local time), ahead of runner-up Michel Mulder of the Netherlands, who clocked a time of 1:09:52.Shani Davis of th

More SportsDec. 8, 2013

Kim Yu-na cruises to victory in season debut

South Korean figure skater Kim Yu-na cruised to an overwhelming victory in her highly-anticipated season debut in Croatia on Saturday, despite committing an early mistake in her free skating program.Kim scored 131.12 points in Saturday's free skate for a totalof 204.49 points to capture the Golden Spin of Zagreb at Dom Sportova arena in the Croatian capital. On Friday, she earned 73.37 points in the short program, the highest short program score by anyone this season.The total score was the fift

More SportsDec. 7, 2013

Kim Yu-na cruises to victory in season debut