Olympic baseball team's preparation dealt blow with KBO season's suspension

Through no fault of their own, the LG Twins have only played four games so far in July in the South Korean baseball league. And after the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) decided to suspend play Monday in light of multiple coronavirus cases from two clubs, it will stay that way for the rest of the month. KBO games scheduled from Tuesday to Sunday will be moved to later in the season, as the NC Dinos and the Doosan Bears have reported five combined cases of COVID-19. The league will then go on

Olympic GamesJuly 13, 2021

Sailors become 1st S. Korean athletes to arrive in Tokyo for Olympics

The South Korean sailing team became the first group of athletes from the country to arrive in Tokyo for the upcoming Summer Olympics on Tuesday. The four-man sailing squad, with Ha Ji-min in the Laser event, Cho Won-woo in the RS:X event, and Park Gun-woo and Cho Sung-min teaming up in the 470 event, landed at Narita International Airport on Tuesday afternoon. They were joined by their two coaches: Song Myung-keun and Ilias Mylonas. Head coach Jin Hong-chul, who had already been in Japan, sa

Olympic GamesJuly 13, 2021

2 more pro football players test positive for COVID-19

Two additional players in the top South Korean football league have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, as the pandemic threatens to disrupt the upcoming match schedule even further. Seongnam FC of the K League 1 announced Tuesday a ninth member of the club tested positive for COVID-19. Previously, six staff members and two players had turned in positive results after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Seongnam said all 46 players, coaches and staffers who took part in training camp

SoccerJuly 13, 2021

Youngest franchise on top as 1st half of KBO season comes to abrupt halt

As the youngest club in the South Korean baseball league competing in their seventh season, the KT Wiz find themselves at the top of the standings at the All-Star break. The twist: The annual Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) All-Star Game isn't until July 24. The first half of the 2021 came to a screeching halt Monday, when the league announced it would suspend the season in light of five combined COVID-19 cases from the NC Dinos and the Doosan Bears. All games scheduled from Tuesday to Sunda

BaseballJuly 13, 2021

Baseball league suspends season following multiple COVID-19 cases

The South Korean professional baseball league decided on Monday to suspend its ongoing regular season, effectively immediately, following multiple cases of the novel coronavirus.    This marked South Korea's first professional sports league to halt proceedings because of COVID-19 cases.    The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) reached the decision after its emergency board meeting with CEOs of the league's 10 clubs at KBO's head office in Seoul.    In spring 20

BaseballJuly 12, 2021

S. Korea keeping things close to vest ahead of final Olympic football tuneups

Entering their final stretch of preparation for the Olympic men's football tournament, South Korea will host a pair of Tokyo-bound countries in tuneup matches this week. South Korea will first take on Argentina at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Yongin Mireu Stadium in Yongin, about 50 kilometers south of Seoul. Then at 8 p.m. Friday at Seoul World Cup Stadium, South Korea will face France. Coached by Kim Hak-bum, South Korea will depart for Japan on Saturday. In his prematch press conference Monday, Ki

SoccerJuly 12, 2021

8 members of football club Seongnam test positive for COVID-19

Eight members of the South Korean football club Seongnam FC have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, putting the resumption of their season next week in jeopardy. Seongnam and the Korea Professional Football League (K League) said Monday that two players and five staff members received positive results earlier in the day, hours after one of their coaches tested positive late Sunday. Seongnam said 31 players and 15 staffers were tested, and two are expected to get their results Tuesday.

SoccerJuly 12, 2021

S. Korean pitchers on roll, hitters in playoff position as MLB season's 1st half ends

With the first half of the 2021 Major League Baseball (MLB) in the books, two South Korean pitchers have built some momentum for the remainder of the season, while two position players from the country will look to stay in the postseason hunt. MLB will enter the All-Star break following the conclusion of games Sunday in the US (local time). Two South Korean starters, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays and Kim Kwang-hyun of the St. Louis Cardinals, both won their final starts of the first hal

BaseballJuly 12, 2021

Daegu FC reach knockouts at AFC Champions League for 1st time

Daegu FC have qualified for the round of 16 at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League for the first time, joining three other South Korean clubs in the knockouts at the continent's top club competition. Daegu blanked United City 4-0 in their final Group I match at Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent on Sunday (local time) and locked down the second seed in the group. Four players chipped in a goal apiece, with Tsubasa Nishi opening the scoring in the 37th minute. This will be Daegu'

SoccerJuly 12, 2021

Cardinals' Kim Kwang-hyun wins 3rd straight start to wrap up 1st half

St. Louis Cardinals' starter Kim Kwang-hyun braved rain to beat the Chicago Cubs for his third consecutive victory, giving himself a strong foundation to build upon in the second half of his sophomore campaign. Kim tossed six shutout innings against the Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday (local time), helping the Cardinals to a 6-0 win. Kim, who gave up five singles and struck out seven, improved to 4-5 while lowering his ERA from 3.39 to 3.11. The South Korean left-hander earned hi

BaseballJuly 11, 2021

Jeonbuk finish group play undefeated, Pohang advance to knockouts at AFC Champions League

The South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have extended their undefeated streak to six matches at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, while also helping another team from the country join them in the knockout stage. Jeonbuk defeated Gamba Osaka 2-1 in their final Group H match played at Bunyodkor Stadium in Tashkent on Saturday (local time). Gustavo and Mo Barrow had a goal apiece for Jeonbuk, which won their group with 16 points from five wins and a draw. And Gamba Os

SoccerJuly 11, 2021

KBO, club CEOs to discuss possible suspension of season following multiple COVID-19 cases

The South Korean professional baseball league held an emergency meeting with club executives Sunday to discuss a possible suspension of the ongoing season, with another round of talks with higher-ranking officials set for Monday, in light of multiple coronavirus cases involving two clubs. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Sunday it met with general managers of the 10 clubs earlier in the day to go over COVID-19 protocols and league operations. Then on Monday, the designated off day acr

BaseballJuly 11, 2021

3 KBO games canceled due to COVID-19 cases, protocols

Three South Korean baseball games scheduled for Saturday were canceled, following three additional cases of the novel coronavirus on two clubs.    The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Saturday two members of the Doosan Bears and one player from the NC Dinos have tested positive for COVID-19. The Bears' home game against the LG Twins at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul has been canceled, along with the Dinos' road game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Gocheok Sky Dome in the nation'

BaseballJuly 10, 2021

Olympic football team's tuneup matches to be played without spectators

Professional sports games and Olympic football tuneup matches in the greater Seoul area will be played without spectators starting next week, under heightened social distancing rules in place in the region. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korea Professional Football League (K League) both announced Friday that games in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province will be held behind closed doors. Earlier in the day, the government announced it will place Seoul and its nearby regions, cov

Olympic GamesJuly 9, 2021

Defending champs Ulsan reach round of 16 at AFC Champions League

Defending champions Ulsan Hyundai FC have qualified for the knockout stage at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, moving forward in their bid for a second consecutive title at the continent's top club football tournament. The South Korean club defeated Viettel 3-0 at Pathum Thani Stadium in Bangkok on Thursday (local time) for their fifth consecutive victory in Group F. Sitting at 15 points with one match remaining against BG Pathum United on Sunday, Ulsan have assured them

SoccerJuly 9, 2021

Sophomore pitcher nabs KBO's top player award for June

KT Wiz's second-year starter So Hyeong-jun has been named the best player in South Korean baseball for the month of June. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said So, the 2020 Rookie of the Year, won the vote by media and fans to earn the Player of the Month honor for June. So earned 11 out of 32 votes cast by media and then earned 121,857 out of 258,241 votes from fans. He scored 40.78 in the converted voting points, edging out NC Dinos catcher Yang Eui-ji (20.86 points). So went 2-0 in fo

BaseballJuly 8, 2021

Jeonbuk become 1st K League team to clinch knockout berth at AFC Champions League

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have become the first South Korean team to secure a knockout spot at the top continental club football tournament. Jeonbuk defeated Chiangrai United 3-1 in their Group H match at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League at Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent on Wednesday (local time). Jeonbuk improved to 13 points on four wins and a draw to secure the top spot in the group with one match remaining against Gamba Osaka on Saturday. The AFC Champions League expand

SoccerJuly 8, 2021

One K League match postponed following positive COVID-19 case

An upcoming professional football match has been postponed after a player tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Korea Professional Football League announced Wednesday the K League 1 contest between Jeju United and FC Seoul, scheduled for July 20, will be played at a later date. The league has not yet determined when the match will be made up. One Jeju player tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. While the rest of the team all tested negative, many players were listed as close conta

SoccerJuly 7, 2021

Volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung, teen swimmer Hwang Sun-woo named S. Korean flag-bearers at Tokyo Olympics

The volleyball icon Kim Yeon-koung and teen swimming sensation Hwang Sun-woo will carry the South Korean flag at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Summer Olympics. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) announced the two athletes as the country's flag-bearers Wednesday. The opening ceremony for the 32nd Summer Olympics will take place in the Japanese capital on July 23. Kim, 33, is one of the most popular athletes in South Korea. Long considered one of the world's top female volleyb

Olympic GamesJuly 7, 2021

Players on fringe determined to help Olympic football team any way they can

PAJU -- When the 24-year-old midfielder Kim Jin-gyu didn't make the South Korean men's Olympic football team at first last week, he had a mixed bag of emotions. He was disappointed that he wasn't selected as one of 18 players by head coach Kim Hak-bum last Wednesday, but he was also somewhat relieved that he wouldn't be going through the pressure cooker that is the Olympic tournament. But Kim's fate changed in less than 24 hours. FIFA decided to grant a special expansion of rosters for all men

SoccerJuly 7, 2021