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

S. Korea defeat Japan for 3rd straight men's football gold

HANGZHOU, China -- South Korea captured a record third straight Asian Games men's football gold medal Saturday in China, rallying past Japan 2-1 after conceding an early goal. Midfielder Jeong Woo-yeong scored his tournament-best eighth goal to level the score at 1-1, and forward Cho Young-wook netted the eventual winner in the second half at Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou. Coached by Hwang Sun-hong, South Korea's under-24 squad went undefeated in the competition, with t

Oct. 7, 2023

S. Korea faces off with Japan in men's football final; female archers set for gold

South Korea will meet its archrival Japan in the men's football final at the 19th Asian Games on Saturday, the last step toward the ultimate goal of the third straight gold medal. The gold medal match between South Korea and Japan will take place at 8 p.m. at Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, China. It will be the final stage for the South Korean football team to extend its winning streak to three. The country has topped the podium of men's football for two straight Asiads s

Oct. 6, 2023

PSG's Lee Kang-in 'proud' of teammates for clinching knockout berth without him

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in said Friday he was "proud" of his South Korean teammates at the Asian Games in China, having belatedly joined the team after the young Taegeuk Warriors handily won their first two group stage matches. Lee arrived in the Asiad host city of Hangzhou on Thursday, hours before South Korea defeated Thailand 4-0 in their second Group E match. This came on the heels of a 9-0 rout of Kuwait to open the tournament Tuesday. Lee, who had missed the two e

Sept. 22, 2023

Klinsmann to return to S. Korea after Europe trip following schedule change

Jurgen Klinsmann, beleaguered head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, is set to return to Seoul this week after a recent European trip following a last-minute schedule change, officials said Wednesday. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Klinsmann will return to South Korea with the rest of the home-based members of the national team Thursday afternoon. The Taegeuk Warriors played two friendly matches in Europe this month, with a goalless draw against Wales l

Sept. 13, 2023

[Graphic News] English, Saudi clubs’ spending fuels record year for overseas transfers: FIFA

Spending by English and Saudi Arabian clubs fueled a record-setting year for soccer’s international transfer market, which reached highs in deals done, money spent and agent fees, FIFA said. FIFA's analysis of male players moving between member countries from June through Sept. 1 counted 10,125 transfers, $7.36 billion spent by clubs and almost $700 million paid to intermediaries representing players and clubs. English clubs spent almost $2 billion — while recouping $956 million

Sept. 12, 2023

Beleaguered S. Korea football coach Klinsmann looking to end drought vs. Saudi Arabia

Besieged by criticism over his questionable commitment to the job and lack of tactical expertise, Jurgen Klinsmann will try to grab his first win as head coach of the South Korean men's national football team this week in England. South Korea, ranked 28th, will take on world No. 54 Saudi Arabia at St. James' Park in Newcastle at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday (local time), or 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. In five matches under Klinsmann, South Korea have had three draws and two losses. This is the longest w

Sept. 11, 2023

Top defender sees need to develop chemistry with new faces on nat'l team

With the South Korean men's national football team unable to get past Wales in their latest friendly match, defender Kim Min-jae thinks the players need more time to develop cohesion. Kim played the full 90 minutes of South Korea's goalless draw against Wales in Cardiff on Thursday. The Bayern Munich center back tried to look on the brighter side of things, saying, "I think it was good for us not to concede any goals in such a tough match." On the other hand, the draw left So

Sept. 8, 2023