After world championship success, Korean men's hockey coach tells players to stay humble

South Korean men's hockey earned a promotion to the highest level of competition in the sport last month, an unprecedented feat for a country not exactly known as a hockey hotbed.But if the players are still on cloud nine, then their head coach Jim Paek can't have them back on Earth fast enough.South Korea finished second at the International Ice Hockey Federation  World Championship Division I Group A in Ukraine and clinched a spot in next year's IIHF World Championship. The top-level tournamen

More SportsMay 15, 2017

Korea have perfect preparations for the U-20 World Cup: coach

South Korean football coach Shin Tae-yong said Monday his side have the perfect preparations for the FIFA U-20 World Cup as they enter the final stretch to get ready for the tournament at home. Shin, who took over the under-20 national football team last December, said South Korea will not disappoint home fans at the U-20 World Cup, which kicks off on Saturday. At the 24-team FIFA tournament, the young Taeguk Warriors are in Group A with Guinea, Argentina and England."We have very good teamwork

SoccerMay 15, 2017

FC Barcelona's Korean prospects eager to have 'long stay' in U-20 World Cup

PAJU -- FC Barcelona's two South Korean prospects said Monday they want to stay in the FIFA U-20 World Cup a long time to impress football fans. Lee Seung-woo and Paik Seung-ho are two of the 21 players who are selected for South Korea's squad for the U-20 World Cup, which will be staged in six local cities from Saturday. The young Taeguk Warriors are in Group A with Guinea, Argentina and England. In the U-20 World Cup, 24 teams have been divided into six groups of four and the top two teams fro

SoccerMay 15, 2017

Korean Kim Si-woo wins Players Championship

South Korean Kim Si-woo has rallied to capture The Players Championship, one of the biggest tournaments on the PGA Tour.Kim fired a bogey-free final round of three-under 69 to snatch the title at 10-under 278 at TPC at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on Sunday (local time).At 21, Kim is the youngest player to win The Players Championship in its 44-year history. He was the only player who didn't commit a bogey in the final round.This was Kim's second career PGA Tour win after the Wyndham

GolfMay 15, 2017

Korea play to 2-2 draw with Senegal in final tune-up for U-20 World Cup

GOYANG -- South Korea played to a 2-2 draw with Senegal on Sunday in their final tune-up match for the FIFA U-20 World Cup at home.Cho Young-wook scored a goal and set up another for U-20 World Cup host, but the African opponents earned their equalizer in the late second half to avoid a defeat at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, just north of Seoul. This was South Korea's last tune-up match before entering the U-20 World Cup. The 24-team FIFA tournament will be staged in six local cities from Saturday

SoccerMay 14, 2017

Korean football chief plans to co-host World Cup with Asian neighbors in 2030

GOYANG -- South Korea's football chief said Sunday he believes the country can co-host the FIFA World Cup with three neighboring nations in 2030.Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), said South Korea plans to launch a joint World Cup bid with North Korea, China and Japan, although details have not been discussed yet.  Chung Mong-gyu, head of the Korea Football Association, speaks to reporters ahead of the South Korean under-20 national football team's friendly match

SoccerMay 14, 2017

Tottenham's Son Heung-min named top Premier Leaguer for April

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min was named the Premier League's Player of the Month for the second time this season after claiming the April award on Friday.The English Premier League announced on its website that Son beat out his teammates Christian Eriksen and Jan Vertonghen, Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard, Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero and Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke to win the accolade, which was based on votes fro

SoccerMay 12, 2017

Two Korean fighters vow to win at UFC Singapore event

Two South Korean mixed martial arts fighters said Friday they are confident that they will leave the Octagon with victories at an upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship event because it's going to be staged in Asia. Kim Dong-hyun and Kwak Kwan-ho will compete at the UFC Fight Night 111 in Singapore on June 17. Kim, nicknamed Stun Gun, will take on Colby Covington in a welterweight bout, while Kwak will face Russell Doane in a bantamweight match.  South Korea mixed martial arts fighters Kim Dong

More SportsMay 12, 2017

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin rocked by Rockies in return from DL

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers got rocked by the Colorado Rockies in his return from the disabled list.Ryu was touched for 10 runs -- five of them unearned -- on eight hits and six walks in four innings at Coors Field in Denver on Thursday (local time). The South Korean left-hander left the game with the Dodgers down 10-0. (Yonhap)The 10 totals runs and six walks issued were both single-game highs for Ryu in his major league career. Ryu dropped to 1-5 on the season, and his ERA rose fro

BaseballMay 12, 2017

Malaysia considering NK travel warning before Asian Cup preliminary

Malaysia, which has been at serious diplomatic odds over the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half brother Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport early this year, is studying the issuance of a North Korea travel warning in order to change the venue of its upcoming Asian Cup preliminary against the North from Pyongyang to a neutral area, a US broadcaster said Friday. The Malaysian government will notify the Football Association of Malaysia of its decision on the trav

SoccerMay 12, 2017

N. Korean taekwondo demonstration team invited to world championships in S. Korea

The world’s taekwondo governing body has extended an invitation to a North Korean demonstration team to this year’s world championships to be held south of the border, its officials said Thursday.The World Taekwondo Federation, headed by South Korean Choue Chung-won, sent the invitation on Thursday to the International Taekwondo Federation, with North Korean Ri Yong-son at the helm, according to a WTF official. The move is expected to provide a breakthrough for an exchange program that had stall

More SportsMay 11, 2017

Rangers' Choo Shin-soo back where he belongs: leadoff spot

Texas Rangers' outfielder Choo Shin-soo apparently likes the view from the top of the order.Batting leadoff against the San Diego Padres at home in Arlington on Wednesday (local time), Choo went 3-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored, helping the Rangers to a 4-3 victory.It was Choo's second straight game as the leadoff man. A day earlier, Choo was 1-for-2 with two walks and also got hit by a pitch, while scoring twice. In this Associated Press photo, Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers hit

BaseballMay 11, 2017

Men's hockey team to open off-ice training camp next week

Fresh off a promotion to the world's top competition, the South Korean men's national hockey team will open its off-ice training camp next week.The Korea Ice Hockey Association said Thursday the players will report to Jincheon Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, some 90 kilometers south of Seoul, on Sunday.They will start their 11-week program the following day, through July 27.South Korean players pose for pictures after finishing second at the International Ice Hockey Fede

More SportsMay 11, 2017

After horrendous 2016, right-hander enjoying renaissance

After 10 appearances this season, Lotte Giants right-hander Song Seung-jun already has more wins than he did all of last year in the Korea Baseball Organization.But that isn't saying much because he picked up just one victory in 2016.The 36-year-old improved to 3-0 on Wednesday by holding the Hanwha Eagles to a run on five hits across 5 2/3 innings, as the Giants prevailed 8-1.The victory stopped the Giants' losing skid at three. Song, a former US minor leaguer who reached Triple-A, has won each

BaseballMay 11, 2017

Veteran slugger sets Korean baseball record for total bases

Veteran slugger Lee Seung-yuop became South Korean baseball's all-time leader in total bases on Wednesday, adding yet another milestone to his glowing resume.Lee hit a single off LG Twins' starter Cha Woo-chan in the seventh inning of their Korea Baseball Organization regular season game at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.Lee Seung-yuop of the Samsung Lions takes batting practice at Masan Stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, before a Korea Baseball

BaseballMay 10, 2017

Korean football league to adopt video review earlier than scheduled

South Korea's professional football league will introduce a video review system earlier than scheduled following a series of missed calls by referees, officials said Wednesday.The K League, the operator of pro football competitions, originally planned to adopt the video assistant referees system for the first division K League Classic on July 22, but it decided to implement the system three weeks ahead of schedule. (Yonhap)"Since the controversy regarding missed calls has worsened, we decided to

SoccerMay 10, 2017

World athletics chief stresses importance of school sports

World athletics chief Sebastian Coe said Wednesday he wants to make the sport well represented in school curriculum so that running can be recognized as a daily exercise for young people.Coe, who has been leading the International Association of Athletics Federations since 2015, landed in South Korea on Tuesday for the 80th Congress of the International Sports Press Association, which will run until Saturday in Seoul and PyeongChang, the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Sebastian Coe

Olympic GamesMay 10, 2017

Korean left-hander chasing multiple records

After winning yet another start on Tuesday, Kia Tigers' left-hander Yang Hyeon-jong is in hot pursuit of multiple pitching records in South Korean baseball.Yang improved to 7-0 in the 2017 Korea Baseball Organization season after holding the KT Wiz to three runs over six innings of work in the Tigers' 9-4 victory. Yang Hyeon-jong of the Kia Tigers throws a pitch against the Nexen Heroes in their Korea Baseball Organization game at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on May 3, 2017. (Yonhap)Yang, 29, is le

BaseballMay 10, 2017

Sports leaders call on new president to ensure successful Winter Olympics

Leaders of South Korean sports on Wednesday urged new President Moon Jae-in to help ensure the successful staging of the country's first Winter Olympics next year.The preparations for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games weren't immune from the massive political scandal that led to the ouster and arrest of former President Park Geun-hye, and to the earlier-than-expected presidential election to vote on the next chief executive. Soohorang (left) and Bandabi, the official mascots of the 2018 PyeongCh

SportsMay 10, 2017

Int'l football chief congratulates Korean official on earning FIFA position

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Tuesday congratulated South Korean football chief Chung Mong-gyu on earning a position at the global football body.Chung, head of the Korea Football Association, was elected by acclamation to the FIFA Council on Monday at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Manama, Bahrain. He will serve a two-year term through 2019. This image, provided by the Korea Football Association on May 9, 2017, shows the congratulatory letter sent by FIFA President Gianni Infa

SoccerMay 9, 2017