Kenyan-born marathoner clears paperwork to represent S. Korea at Tokyo 2020

Oh Joo-han, a Kenyan-born marathoner with South Korean citizenship, will be able to represent his adopted country at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics after clearing paperwork with the International Association of Athletics Federations, his agent said Wednesday.According to Oh Chang-seok, a former men's national marathon coach who helped the Kenyan-born runner with his naturalization, the IAAF recently announced that the 30-year-old marathoner can be formally selected for the South Korean national

SportsMarch 20, 2019

Koreas formally express interest in co-hosting 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA announced Tuesday that South Korea and North Korea have formally expressed their interest in co-hosting the 2023 Women's World Cup.In a press release, FIFA said it has received a record nine expressions of interest for the top global event in women's football.Joining the Koreas in the ring are Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. FIFA President Gianni Infantino holds a soccer ball as he speaks during a press conference after the FIFA Council

SoccerMarch 19, 2019

Bento to throw age out the window in selecting lineup for men's football team

South Korea men's football head coach Paulo Bento said Monday he will look past players' birth certificates and only focus on their abilities on the field when putting together his lineups going forward.    Bento opened camp at the National Football Center in Paju, north of Seoul, ahead of South Korea's friendly matches against Bolivia on Friday and Colombia on March 26. The 27-man roster includes a pair of teenagers in midfield, 18-year-old Lee Kang-in and 19-year-old Kim Jung-min, plus 22-year

SportsMarch 18, 2019

S. Korean women's football team to face Iceland, Sweden in World Cup tuneup matches

South Korea will play against Iceland and Sweden to prepare for the FIFA Women's World Cup, the national football governing body said Thursday.The Korea Football Association said the women's football team will play two friendly matches with Iceland at home in April and will take on Sweden on the road in May before entering the Women's World Cup, where South Korea is in Group A with Norway, Nigeria and hosts France.The Taeguk Ladies, 14th in the latest FIFA rankings, will first welcome No. 22 Ice

SoccerMarch 14, 2019

New nat'l training center chief vows to restore pride, trust for athletes

The new chief of the main national athletic training center vowed on Thursday to restore pride and trust for athletes after a series of assault scandals rocked South Korea's sports community.Shin Chi-yong, a legendary volleyball coach, was officially introduced as the head of the National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, the main training ground for South Korean national team athletes, last month."We're doing our best to restore trust," Shin said to reporters at the Natio

More SportsMarch 14, 2019

Korean proposal for joint Olympic teams up for approval at IOC meeting

A proposal by South Korea and North Korea to form multiple joint teams for qualification for the next Summer Olympics will be up for approval at an upcoming International Olympic Committee meeting, Seoul's sports ministry said Monday.Following a tripartite meeting with the IOC on Feb. 15, the two Koreas decided to combine teams in four sports in which they hope to compete as a unified Korea at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They are women's basketball, women's field hockey, judo and rowing. (Yonhap)Ac

Olympic GamesMarch 11, 2019

S. Korean skeleton slider to compete at world championships with full confidence

South Korean skeleton slider Yun Sung-bin said Thursday that he is ready to show his best at the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Championships. Yun, the 2018 Winter Olympics gold medalist in men's skeleton, will compete at the IBSF World Championships in Whistler, Canada, on Friday. He is looking for his first gold at the worlds.(Yonhap)"I've been competing this whole season to race at the worlds," Yun said through his Seoul-based agency. "I'm in my best form right now."After

More SportsMarch 7, 2019

Gyeongnam FC held to 2-2 draw by Shandong in ACL debut

South Korea’s Gyeongnam FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Chinese side Shandong Luneng in their Asian competition debut on Tuesday. Shandong’s Italian striker Graziano Pelle scored twice to deny Gyeongnam a win in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Group E opening match at Changwon Football Center in Changwon, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul.Gyeongnam, founded in 2006, qualified for the AFC Champions League after they finished second in the K League 1, South Korea’s top div

SoccerMarch 5, 2019

Ex-Premier Leaguers go head-to-head in their ACL debut

Two former English Premier League (EPL) stars went head-to-head in their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League debut here on Tuesday. Jordon Mutch of Gyeongnam FC and Marouane Fellaini of Shandong Luneng FC made their Asian debut at Changwon Football Stadium in Changwon, some 400 kilometers south of Seoul, in their clubs’ Group E opener that ended in a 2-2 draw.Both players joined East Asian clubs this winter after having stints in the EPL. Mutch was a surprise signing from Gyeongn

SoccerMarch 5, 2019

[Graphic News] Giants’ Lee Dae-ho highest paid in Korean baseball

　The Korea Baseball Organization recently announced its salary data for the 2019 season.　Lee Dae-ho of the Lotte Giants topped all players with an annual salary of 2.5 billion won ($2.2 million), followed by the Kia Tigers’ Yang Hyeon-jong (2.3 billion won) and the NC Dinos’ Yang Eui-ji (2 billion won). 

BaseballFeb. 25, 2019

FC Seoul head coach vows to restore club's reputation in 2019

FC Seoul head coach Choi Yong-soo said Thursday his goal for the 2019 season is to restore his club's reputation.FC Seoul, six-time K League 1 champions, barely avoided relegation to the second division last year. After finishing 11th, they beat K League 2 club Busan IPark in a playoff to remain in the top flight of South Korean football.Choi, who rejoined Seoul in October following a seasonlong stint with Chinese side Jiangsu Suning, did manage to save his old club from relegation, but the perf

SoccerFeb. 21, 2019

Speed skater stands by harassment allegations against ex-teammate, claims to have evidence

South Korean speed skater Kim Bo-reum said Thursday she stands by allegations of harassment she raised against a former teammate, adding she has materials to back up her claims.Kim was embroiled in a bullying scandal during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics last year, when she was accused of leaving fellow skater Noh Seon-yeong behind on purpose during a team pursuit race. This file photo from Feb. 21, 2018, shows South Korean speed skaters Kim Bo-reum (L) and Noh Seon-yeong at Gangneung Oval in G

More SportsFeb. 21, 2019

Olympic curlers endured abuse by coaches, owed prize money: sports ministry

The sports ministry concluded on Thursday that former national women's curlers endured abuse by their coaches and have yet to receive a large sum of prize money from competitions.The ministry announced the findings of its five-week probe, which ran from Nov. 19 to Dec. 21, into allegations raised by members of the Olympic silver medal-winning women's curling team. Collectively dubbed "Team Kim" after the common surname of all members, the curlers won a surprise silver medal at last year's Pyeong

More SportsFeb. 21, 2019

IOC President Bach welcomes joint Korean bid for 2032 Olympics

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Friday he welcomes the joint South Korean-North Korean bid to host the 2032 Summer Games.Bach made the remark following his meeting with delegations from the two Koreas at IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, earlier in the day.The meeting mainly covered unified Korean teams at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The two sides agreed to field joint teams in women’s field hockey, women’s basketball, judo and rowing. International Olympic Commi

Olympic GamesFeb. 15, 2019

Koreas to field joint teams in 4 sports at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

South Korea and North Korea will organize unified teams in four sports at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, officials announced Friday.After a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach at IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, Friday, representatives from the Koreas agreed to form joint teams in women’s basketball, women’s field hockey, rowing and judo for the Tokyo Olympics.Tokyo 2020 will be the first Summer Olympics in which the Koreas will have unified tea

Olympic GamesFeb. 15, 2019

Koreas likely to field joint teams in field hockey, rowing, basketball, judo at Tokyo Olympics

South Korea and North Korea are likely to field joint teams in at least four sports at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, with an addition of more sports to the list remaining a possibility, officials said Friday.South Korean sports representatives, led by Sports Minister Do Jong-hwan, are visiting Lausanne, Switzerland, for a tripartite meeting with their North Korean counterparts and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach later Friday. They'll discuss the organization of joint team

More SportsFeb. 15, 2019

Son Heung-min extends scoring streak to 4 matches

The South Korean "Son" is still shining brightly over London.Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min netted the opening goal in the team's 3-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the round of 16 at the UEFA Champions League at Wembley Stadium in London on Wednesday (local time). Son has now scored in four consecutive matches, with his three previous goals having come in his last three English Premier League contests.(Yonhap)Son's score in the 47th minute stood as the eventual winner, wi

SoccerFeb. 14, 2019

Tottenham's Son Heung-min on fire after Asian Cup

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-min has extended his scoring streak to three matches in the English Premier League since returning from his international duty. Son sealed Tottenham's 3-1 win over Leicester City at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday (local time) with his goal in the second-half extra time. It was his 11th goal in the league this season. The 26-year-old also has four goals from domestic cup competitions. With his latest performance, Son has extended his s

SoccerFeb. 11, 2019

Korean golfer known for unorthodox swing misses cut in PGA debut

South Korean golfer Choi Ho-sung, a viral Internet sensation thanks to an eccentric swing, has missed the cut at his first PGA Tour event.The 45-year-old shot a nine-over 224 after three rounds at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Saturday (local time). The cut was at two-under 213. (Yonhap)Choi opened his tournament with a 72 but followed that up with a 75 and then a 77. During the third round, Choi had two birdies and a double bogey on

GolfFeb. 10, 2019

Host S. Korea blanks Japan at men’s hockey tournament

South Korea shut out Japan 2-0 for its first win at a men’s hockey tournament on home ice Friday.　Defenseman Eric Regan scored midway through the second period, and forward Park Sang-jin netted a short-handed goal in the third for insurance in a well-deserved victory at the Legacy Cup.　The four-nation tournament, which also featured  Kazakhstan and Latvia, was held at Gangneung Hockey Centre in Gangneung, 230 kilometers east of Seoul, in commemoration of the first anniversary of the PyeongChang

More SportsFeb. 8, 2019