Busan IPark on verge of K League promotion as final playoff battle looms

After playing the past three seasons in the second division of South Korean football, Busan IPark are poised for promotion to the top competition for 2024 with one final playoff match scheduled for the weekend. Busan will visit Suwon FC for the second leg of their K League promotion-relegation playoff at 2 p.m. Saturday at Suwon Stadium in Suwon, just south of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province. The winner will play in the K League 1 next year, and the loser will end up in the K League 2 in 2024. Busan

Dec. 8, 2023

Wolves' Hwang Hee-chan nets 8th goal of season in victory

Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers has netted his eighth goal of the Premier League season, keeping pace with the league leaders in the scoring race. Hwang scored in the 42nd minute to help Wolves past Burnley 1-0 at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Tuesday (local time). It snapped Wolves' two-match losing skid, as they improved to 18 points on five wins, three draws and seven losses. Hwang climbed into a three-way tie for fourth place in goals in the Premier League, jo

Dec. 6, 2023

K League's MVP has no regrets over turning down lucrative offer to stay put in S. Korea

Ulsan Hyundai FC defender Kim Young-gwon was voted the most valuable player (MVP) in South Korean football's top division Monday, and to hear the man himself tell it, Kim almost didn't even make it this far into the season to grab that award. After accepting his K League 1 MVP trophy at an awards ceremony in Seoul, Kim revealed that he had a lucrative offer from a foreign club during this season. Ulsan head coach Hong Myung-bo convinced Kim to stay with Ulsan, and the center back helpe

Dec. 4, 2023

Son Heung-min nets 9th goal of season, scores own goal in draw vs. Man City

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has grabbed sole possession of third place in the Premier League scoring race, with a goal against defending champions Manchester City in a 3-3 draw. The Spurs skipper, though, also scored one into his own net in this wild away match. Son opened the scoring after only six minutes at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on Sunday with his ninth goal of the campaign. In a counterattack opportunity, Son broke from inside his own half to take a long pass from Dej

Dec. 4, 2023

Suwon Samsung Bluewings suffer 1st relegation in K League football

Suwon Samsung Bluewings were relegated to the second division in South Korean football for the first time in their club history Saturday, following a goalless draw against Gangwon FC at home. Suwon Samsung finished the 2023 K League 1 season in last place with 33 points on eight wins, nine draws and 21 losses, and suffered direct relegation to the K League 2 for 2024. In order to avoid direct relegation, Suwon Samsung had to defeat Gangwon at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, just south of Seoul

Dec. 2, 2023

Footballer Hwang Ui-jo banned from nat'l team during police probe into illegal filming charges

The South Korea football governing body announced Tuesday forward Hwang Ui-jo will be banned from the national team until the conclusion of an ongoing police investigation into charges that he'd filmed a sexual encounter with a woman without consent. The Korea Football Association (KFA) reached the decision following a meeting of representatives from its ethics committee and national team technical committee earlier in the day. The KFA held the meeting after being criticized for putting Hwa

Nov. 28, 2023

Former England soccer manager Terry Venables dies aged 80

Terry Venables, the former manager of England's national soccer team and clubs including Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona, has died aged 80 after an illness, his family said on Sunday. "We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness," the family said in a statement. (Reuters)

Nov. 26, 2023

Gimcheon Sangmu FC earn promotion to top division in S. Korean football

In a dramatic turn of events on the final day of the regular season, Gimcheon Sangmu FC earned a direct promotion to the top division in South Korean football on Sunday. Gimcheon defeated Seoul E-Land FC 1-0 to finish atop the K League 2 tables with 71 points and secure a spot in the top-flight K League 1 for 2024. Kim Hyeon-ug's 37th-minute goal stood as the winner. Gimcheon, a military club made up of players fulfilling their mandatory service duties, were relegated after the 2022 season

Nov. 26, 2023

S. Korea to face Japan, China, UAE in Olympic football qualifying tournament

South Korea will play Japan, China and the United Arab Emirates in the Asian qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic men's football tournament next spring. South Korea will play out of Group B at the 2024 Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup, whose draw was held Thursday in Doha, the capital city of the tournament host, Qatar. There will be four groups of four countries. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage. The three best teams at the U-23 Asian Cup will punc

Nov. 23, 2023

Klinsmann hoping for quick release of S. Korean footballer detained in China

Jurgen Kinsmann, head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, said Wednesday he hopes China will release detained South Korean football player Son Jun-ho before Christmas, saying it was his "only one wish" for the holiday. Son, a national team veteran, was detained by Chinese authorities in May and was placed under formal arrest in June. Few details are known about the circumstances of Son's detention, with Chinese officials only saying he is facing bribery

Nov. 22, 2023

Facing S. Korea in Seoul dream come true moment for naturalized Singaporean footballer

Football player Song Ui-young grew up in South Korea hoping to one day play at Seoul World Cup Stadium, considered the mecca of football here. That dream will come true for the 30-year-old on Thursday, but with a twist. Song, who became naturalized as a Singaporean citizen in August 2021, will represent his adopted country against his native country in their World Cup qualifying match. "I dreamed of being here when I first started playing football as a kid. I am excited and nervous at t

Nov. 15, 2023

Led by in-form stars, S. Korea pursuing 4th straight win as World Cup qualifying begins vs. Singapore

With their Europe-based stars enjoying strong club seasons, South Korea will chase their fourth consecutive win under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann this week against Singapore in Seoul, as their qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins. It will be the first Group C match for both teams in the second round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. The kickoff is at 8 p.m. Thursday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. South Korea will then travel to Shenzhen, China, to face China next Tuesday. South K

Nov. 14, 2023

Vaccination of cattle for lumpy skin disease to be completed by Friday

The agriculture ministry said Friday it has nearly completed nationwide cattle vaccination against lumpy skin disease, less than a month after the country reported its first-ever infection. The ministry has so far inoculated 99.9 percent of 4.05 million cattle in the country to protect them against LSD after launching the intensive vaccination campaign following its first-ever case of LSD reported on Oct. 20. South Korea plans to complete the vaccination on Friday. Authorities, meanwhile, plan t

Nov. 10, 2023

No panic yet for LG Twins after dropping crucial Korean Series opener

History shows that the team that drops the opening game of the Korean Series, the South Korean baseball championship round, loses the series nearly 75 percent of the time. But there's no panic in the clubhouse for the LG Twins even after their 3-2 loss to the KT Wiz in Game 1 of the best-of-the-seven series Tuesday night, according to manager Youm Kyoung-youb. In his media scrum prior to Game 2 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on Wednesday, Youm said he told his players to stick to what they&

Nov. 8, 2023

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae named top Asian in foreign leagues

Bayern Munich's South Korean defender Kim Min-jae has captured an award for the top Asian player in foreign competitions. Kim was named the Asian Football Confederation Asian International Player of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards ceremony in Doha on Tuesday. Kim, who has split 2023 with Napoli in Italy and Bayern Munich in Germany, beat out Porto's Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi and Brighton & Hove Albion's Japanese winger Kaoru Mitoma. Kim is the second South Korean to be so

Nov. 1, 2023

South Korea play North Korea to draw in women's Olympic football qualifying match

South Korea played North Korea to a goalless draw in their women's Olympic football qualifying match Sunday, staying alive in their bid to qualify for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. South Korea couldn't capitalize on a couple of chances and dodged a few bullets in their own end in Group B action in the second round of the Asian Olympic qualifiers at Xiamen Egret Stadium in Xiamen, China. South Korea couldn't avenge their 4-1 loss to North Korea in the quarterfinals of the Asian

Oct. 29, 2023

Son Heung-min scores 7th goal of Premier League season, puts Spurs back on top

Son Heung-min has found the back of the net for the seventh time in the Premier League this season, pushing the undefeated Tottenham Hotspur back to the top of the tables. The South Korean talisman scored a goal and registered an assist in Tottenham's 2-0 win over Fulham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Monday. It stretched Spurs' undefeated streak to begin this season to nine matches, at seven wins and two draws. With 23 points, Spurs moved back to the top of the league table

Oct. 24, 2023

S. Korea to begin 2026 World Cup qualification in Seoul on Nov. 16

South Korea will launch its 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign in Seoul next month, the national football federation announced Friday. The Korea Football Association said South Korea will host Singapore at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Nov. 16 in their first Group C match in the second round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers. The kickoff is 8 p.m. Singapore beat Guam in the two-legged first round that wrapped up Tuesday, and joined South Korea, China and Thailand in Group C of the second round

Oct. 20, 2023

Klinsmann hoping to keep beloved Lee Kang-in grounded: 'Pop star doesn't score goals'

As South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in walked off the pitch at Seoul World Cup Stadium, having contributed two goals in an eventual 4-0 win over Tunisia in a friendly, he seemed to bask in a thunderous ovation from an adoring crowd of some 59,000. Lee's national team head coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, isn't so sure if such a show of adulation is a good thing for the 22-year-old, who is especially popular among female fans. Lee, midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, is one of South Korea'

Oct. 14, 2023

S. Korea chasing 2nd straight win under Klinsmann with Asiad gold medalists on hand

The South Korean men's national football team will look to win their second straight match under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, with youngsters fresh off their gold medal-winning performance at the Asian Games in the fold. South Korea, world No. 26, will host 29th-ranked Tunisia at 8 p.m. Friday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. It will be the first of two friendlies for South Korea this month, with Vietnam to follow next Tuesday. It will be South Korea's seventh match with Klinsmann

Oct. 12, 2023