Incumbent KFA chief Chung Mong-gyu cleared to run for 4th term

The incumbent national football chief Chung Mong-gyu was cleared by the top national sports body to go for his fourth term Wednesday. According to the Korea Football Association, the Commission for Fair Play in Sport at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee gave Chung the green light to run in the Jan. 8, 2025 election. Per KSOC regulations, heads of national sports federations seeking reelection beyond the second term must be approved by the fair play commission. The commission reviewed Chun

Dec. 11, 2024

Final round of LPGA qualifying tournament suspended due to rain in Alabama

The final round of the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament has been suspended due to rain in Alabama, with three South Korean players in position to earn their cards for 2025. The final round of the LPGA Q-Series was halted at 9:30 a.m. Monday (local time) at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Alabama, with heavy downpours rendering the course unplayable. Play was officially called off at 1 p.m., and the LPGA said the final round will resume at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The top 25 and

Dec. 10, 2024

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min nets 4th goal of season in loss to Chelsea

Son Heung-min's fourth goal of the ongoing Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur was not enough to prevent a loss to Chelsea at home in London. Son's stoppage-time goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the British capital on Sunday proved to be too little, too late, as Spurs blew a 2-0 lead and fell 4-3. The goal was Son's fourth of the Premier League and fifth in all competitions. He has a goal from the UEFA Europa League. The loss extended Tottenham's winless skid to t

Dec. 9, 2024

Nearing age limit as IOC member, S. Korean Olympic chief Lee Kee-heung not chosen for term extension

Nearing his age limit as a member of the International Olympic Committee, Lee Kee-heung, suspended head of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, will not have his term extended beyond next year. Following its Executive Board meeting, the IOC on Thursday decided to propose a four-year extension of the term for one member, Spyros Capralos of Greece, who, like Lee, was elected in 2019 and will reach the age limit of 70 in 2025. The decision will be reached during the 144th IOC Session in Greece

Dec. 5, 2024

KBO sets pitch clock rules for 2025, expands ABS strike zone

The South Korean baseball league on Wednesday announced a series of rule changes for the 2025 season, including ones governing the pitch clock and the automated ball-strike system. The Korea Baseball Organization said the pitch clock will be put in place starting in the 2025 regular season, a year after the proposed implementation of the timer. Pitchers will have to start their delivery within 20 seconds with the bases empty, and 25 seconds with runners on. Major League Baseball, which introdu

Dec. 4, 2024

Wiz re-sign former KBO MVP Rojas

The KT Wiz announced their re-signing of former MVP Mel Rojas Jr. The Wiz said Rojas agreed to a new one-year deal worth $1.8 million to return for his sixth season in the Korea Baseball Organization. Rojas first played for the Wiz from 2017 to 2020 and won the regular-season MVP award in 2020. He then left for Japan before rejoining the Wiz ahead of the 2024 season. He made a successful return by ranking among the league leaders in major offensive categories. He finished second in runs (108), f

Dec. 3, 2024

Ex-IOC member Ryu Seung-min to run for S. Korean Olympic chief

Ryu Seung-min, the 2004 Olympic table tennis champion and a former member of the International Olympic Committee, officially entered the race to become the next head of the national Olympic body Tuesday. Ryu, 42, formally tossed his name into the ring for the presidential election for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee at a press conference in Seoul. The election is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025. Lee Kee-heung, the incumbent head of the KSOC, has yet to formally declare his intent to go for

Dec. 3, 2024

Daegu FC coach seeks balanced attack after Brazilian stars save day

Daegu FC leaned on their Brazilian attacking duo of Cesinha and Edgar to survive a tough playoff match against a second-division foe and secure a spot in the top league for next year. And Daegu's head coach Park Chang-hyun believes overreliance on the tandem is not a sustainable formula for success. Daegu defeated Chungnam Asan FC 6-5 in the aggregate score in their two-legged K League promotion-relegation playoff. After dropping the opening leg 4-3 last Thursday, Daegu prevailed 3-1 in the

Dec. 2, 2024

Daegu FC to stay in K League 1 after beating Chungnam Asan in playoff

Daegu FC will stay in the top South Korean football league next year after narrowly winning a playoff against a second-division opponent Sunday. Lee Chan-dong scored in extra time for Daegu, after the Brazilian attackers Cesinha and Edgar had a goal apiece for a 3-1 victory over 10-man Chungnam Asan FC in the second leg of the K League promotion-relegation playoff at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu, 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Chungnam Asan had won the opening leg 4-3 on Thursday but Daegu c

Dec. 1, 2024

Wiz sign starting pitcher De Jesus

The KT Wiz announced Sunday the signing of pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus, a year after the left-hander had an impressive season with a rival club in the Korea Baseball Organization. De Jesus agreed to a one-year contract worth $1 million, including a salary of $800,000 and a signing bonus of $200,000, the Wiz said. In his debut KBO season with the Kiwoom Heroes in 2024, the Venezuelan pitcher posted a 13-11 record with a 3.68 ERA in 30 starts. He recorded 178 strikeouts over 171 1/3 innings, ranking

Dec. 1, 2024

Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo voted 2024 K League 1 MVP

Ulsan HD FC goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo has been voted the MVP of the top South Korean football league in 2024. Jo beat out Anderson Oliveira of Suwon FC and Yang Min-hyeok of Gangwon FC for the top individual award in the K League 1 on Friday. Jo earned 75 out of 116 votes from the media, eight out of 12 votes from K League 1 head coaches, and seven out of 12 votes from club captains. Those totals were converted to 63.36 points, with Anderson Oliveira finishing a distant second with 20.26 points. Y

Nov. 29, 2024

Gangwon's teen phenom Yang Min-hyeok voted top rookie in 2024 K League 1 season

Gangwon FC's teen sensation Yang Min-hyeok was named the best rookie in the top South Korean football league on Friday. Yang, 18, topped the voting for the Young Player of the Year honor in the K League 1, holding off Hwang Jae-won of Daegu FC and Hong Yun-sang of Pohang Steelers. Yang collected 115 out of 116 votes from the media, 11 out of 12 votes from the league's head coaches, and 10 out of 12 votes from team captains. Those voting totals were converted to 92.16 voting points. Pla

Nov. 29, 2024

S. Korea drop 1 spot to No. 23 in latest FIFA rankings

South Korea dropped a spot to No. 23 in the latest FIFA men's rankings released on Friday. According to FIFA, South Korea fell to No. 23 with 1,585.45 points, down from 1,589.93 points. South Korea had a win and a draw in their two most recent matches, beating Kuwait 3-1 on Nov. 14 but being held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Palestine on Nov. 19 in the Asian qualification tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Palestine were ranked 100th then and they, too, slipped a spot to 101st. South Korea w

Nov. 29, 2024

Son Heung-min scores penalty in Europa League draw vs. Roma

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has scored his first continental goal of the season, doing so in a draw versus AS Roma in London in the UEFA Europa League. Son opened the scoring for Spurs with a penalty goal in the fifth minute in the league phase match of the second-tier competition at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Thursday. After Evan N'Dicka equalized for Roma in the 20th minute, Brennan Johnson gave Spurs a 2-1 lead in the 33rd minute. However, Tottenham settled for a draw

Nov. 29, 2024

Kim Min-jae scores for Bayern in Champions League win over Lee Kang-in's PSG

In a first UEFA Champions League showdown between South Korean players in 13 years, Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich scored his first continental goal against Paris Saint-Germain, featuring countryman Lee Kang-in. The rare goal by the South Korean center back proved decisive as Bayern defeated PSG 1-0 at Allianz Arena in Munich on Tuesday during the league phase of the top European club competition. With their second victory of the competition, Bayern improved to six points, ranking 19th among 36 co

Nov. 27, 2024