S. Korean stars cruise through early stages at ISU World Cup Short Track

South Korean stars breezed through the opening phases of the International Skating Union World Cup Short Track Speed Skating in Seoul on Friday. There were few upsets on Day 1 of the three-day competition at Mokdong Ice Rink in the capital city. Kim Gil-li, who leads all female skaters this season with 615 World Cup points, won Heat 3 in the quarterfinals of the first 1,500-meter race and then finished first in Heat 1 in the second 1,500m race. The top three skaters from each of the six heats,

More SportsDec. 15, 2023

Sports and politics, not the most ideal mix in public's eyes

South Korean soccer hero Park Ji-sung recently denied speculations that he would join the ruling People Power Party, saying that he would "appreciate it if such propositions did not take place in the future." "I never even imagined becoming a politician, and I don't even feel the slightest need to imagine such a thing. ... I was shocked that such speculation even exists," the former Manchester United midfielder said Thursday. He was responding to a media report last mont

More SportsDec. 15, 2023

Pohang Steelers name club legend Park Tae-ha as new head coach

Pohang Steelers announced Friday they have named club legend Park Tae-ha as their new head coach. The K League 1 club said Park, 55, has agreed to a two-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. Park spent his entire playing career with Pohang, from 1991 to 2001. During his time, Pohang won the 1992 K League title, the 1996 FA Cup and captured consecutive Asian Football Confederation Champions League titles in 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 seasons. Park served as team captain from 1998 to 200

SoccerDec. 15, 2023

FIFA takes down controversial Japanese flag in promo image

FIFA recently changed one of its promotional images for the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023, after South Korean fans complained over the controversial "Rising Sun" flag design in it. The image, posted on FIFA World Cup's official Instagram account, introduces the Urawa Red Diamond, participating in the event as the winners of the 2022 AFC Champions league. South Koreans, however, took issues with what appeared to be a Rising Sun flag in the background. Upon a flurry of comme

SoccerDec. 14, 2023

3 out of 4 K League clubs reach knockouts at AFC Champions League

Three out of four South Korean sides competing at Asia's top club football tournament have reached the knockout phase, with the one team missing the party by a tiny margin. Ulsan Hyundai FC, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Pohang Steelers of the K League 1 have advanced to the round of 16 at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League, while Incheon United, also representing the K League 1, were sent packing this week. There were 10 groups of four in the group stage, with clubs in "We

SoccerDec. 14, 2023

K League 1 champions Ulsan Hyundai FC renamed Ulsan HD FC for new season

Ulsan Hyundai FC, two-time reigning champions in the top South Korean football league, will be called Ulsan HD FC beginning in 2024. Ulsan announced Wednesday night that rebranding is in line with the recent name change of the club's corporate owner to HD Hyundai. Ulsan celebrated their 40th anniversary in South Korean football in 2023 by capturing their second consecutive title in the top-flight K League 1. It was Ulsan's fourth championship overall. According to the club, the rebrand

More SportsDec. 14, 2023

S. Korean int'l Hwang In-beom scores 1st Champions League goal in loss

South Korean national team midfielder Hwang In-beom finally has his first goal in the UEFA Champions League, though he won't get a chance to add to that total this season with his club Crvena zvezda eliminated. Hwang scored a goal and set up another in the Serbian side's 3-2 loss to Manchester City in the teams' final Group G match of the top European club competition in Belgrade on Wednesday. Crvena zvezda had already been eliminated from knockout contention after their 2-1 loss

SoccerDec. 14, 2023

Inspired by fan's gift, star KBO outfielder captures 1st Golden Glove

While playing for the Doosan Bears in 2017, outfielder Park Kun-woo enjoyed his best offensive season of his Korea Baseball Organization career. Park batted .366/.424/.582 with 20 home runs and 20 steals. He also smacked 40 doubles as part of his 177 hits. All of those numbers remain Park's career highs to this day. Somehow, they weren't good enough to bring Park his first Golden Glove, which, despite the word 'glove' in its name, is typically given to the best offensive play

BaseballDec. 12, 2023

World No. 1 An Se-young named world's top female badminton player for 2023

South Korean badminton stars An Se-young and Seo Seung-jae have been named the world's best players for the year 2023. The Badminton World Federation honored An and Seo as its Female and Male Player of the Year awards winners at its year-end ceremony in Hangzhou, China, Monday night. An, who climbed to world No. 1 in July at age 21, won her first career Asian Games gold medal in the same city of Hangzhou in October while battling through a knee injury in the final. The BWF recognized athlet

More SportsDec. 12, 2023

Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji wins 9th Golden Glove, 1 shy of KBO record

Doosan Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji captured his ninth career Golden Glove on Monday, moving within one of tying the record in the Korea Baseball Organization. Yang collected 214 out of 291 votes cast by members of KBO media, beating out LG Twins backstop Park Dong-won, who earned 63 votes. Yang has won a record eight Golden Gloves as catcher and one as designated hitter. Only Lee Seung-yuop, former Samsung Lions slugger and Yang's current manager with the Bears, has won more Golden Gloves tha

BaseballDec. 11, 2023

Tottenham's Son Heung-min nets 10th goal of season in win over Newcastle

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has reached double digits in goals for the eighth consecutive Premier League season. Son netted his 10th goal of the 2022-2023 campaign in a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday. The skipper for Spurs also collected two assists in the win, the club's first in five matches. Tottenham also snapped their three-match losing skid at home. Son, voted the Man of the Match, has now scored at least 10 goals in his eight

SoccerDec. 11, 2023

Police question eyewitnesses concerning 'blackmail' of MLB player

South Korean police investigating legal complaints filed by San Diego Padres' infielder Kim Ha-seong, who has alleged that he is being blackmailed over a fight that occurred two years ago, have been questioning witnesses including local professional baseball players who were present at the fight. According to Seoul Gangnam Police Station on Saturday, officials have called in for questioning several acquaintances of Kim, including teammates from when he played with the Kiwoom Heroes of the K

BaseballDec. 10, 2023

Hanwha Eagles re-sign pitcher Pena

The Hanwha Eagles announced Saturday they will bring back right-hander Felix Pena for his third season in South Korea. The Eagles said Pena agreed to a new one-year deal worth up to $1.05 million. The Dominican right-hander will receive $650,000 in salary and a $200,000 signing bonus and can earn up to $200,000 more in incentives. Pena first joined the Korea Baseball Organization, specifically the Hanwha Eagles, mid-season in 2022 as a replacement for Nick Kingham, achieving a 5-4 win-loss recor

BaseballDec. 9, 2023

Footballer Hwang's sister-in-law indicted for disclosing his private videos

A sister-in-law of football player Hwang Ui-jo was indicted Friday on charges of exposing his intimate videos online and threatening to make more revelations, officials said. The wife of Hwang's elder brother is accused of sharing intimate photos and videos of him spending time with women on Instagram in June, pretending to be a former lover of Hwang. She also claimed the South Korea forward had slept with several women and inflicted damage on them, threatening Hwang through text message to

Social AffairsDec. 8, 2023

MLB player in dispute over assault accusation

Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres is embroiled in a dispute over allegations that he assaulted his former staff, with the Gold Glove-winning utility player claiming that he was blackmailed for a mere scuffle. It has been reported Thursday that the 28-year-old has filed charges for blackmail against Im Hye-dong, a retired baseball player who was briefly on Kim's team when they played for the Nexon Heroes in the Korean Baseball League. Im retaliated by telling the local media that he had b

BaseballDec. 8, 2023

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

SoccerDec. 8, 2023

[Graphic News] S. Korean players combine for 5 wins in LPGA

Amy Yang’s win at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, Nov. 19, gave a combined total of five victories won by South Koreans in the LPGA in 2023. However, for the second time in three seasons, South Koreans have failed to produce a major champion in women’s golf, as the post-COVID downward trend continued. As recently as 2019, South Korea had eight players combine for 15 wins. Even during the pandemic-interrupted 2020 season, cut short to just 18 tournaments, South Kor

GolfDec. 8, 2023

Padres' Kim Ha-seong files charges for blackmail against former teammate

San Diego Padres' infielder Kim Ha-seong has filed charges for alleged blackmail against a former teammate from his playing days in South Korea, local police said Thursday. Kim, 28, claimed that the yet-unidentified former baseball player coerced a large sum of money as compensation for his injuries from a fistfight at a bar in 2021, not long before he made his Major League Baseball debut. The charges were filed at Gangnam Police Station in Gangnam-gu, southern, Seoul, where the altercation

BaseballDec. 7, 2023

6 S. Koreans earn LPGA membership for 2024

Five-time South Korean tour winner Lee So-mi will be an LPGA Tour rookie in 2024. Lee finished tied for second at the six-round LPGA Q-Series, the annual qualifying tournament for the top women's competition, at 26-under 404 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Alabama, on Wednesday (local time). Those finishing inside the top 45 and ties earned their LPGA cards for 2024, with the players inside the top 20 and ties able to enter most of the tournaments. The rest, fr

GolfDec. 7, 2023

KBO MVP Fedde signs with White Sox: reports

Erick Fedde, the reigning most valuable player award winner in South Korean baseball, has signed with the Chicago White Sox, US media reports claimed. ESPN and other outlets reported Tuesday that Fedde has agreed to a two-year deal worth $15 million with the White Sox. Fedde, 30, won the Korea Baseball Organization regular season MVP award for the NC Dinos this season, after winning the Triple Crown as the league leader with 20 wins, a 2.00 ERA and 209 strikeouts. The American right-hander becam

BaseballDec. 6, 2023