Jan 17, 2020   Olympic Games

S. Korea on a roll entering knockout phase at Olympic football qualifying tournament

From what was considered the toughest group in the Asian Olympic men's football qualifying tournament, South Korea emerged as the only undefeated nation.In fact, they were the only team to win all three group matches in the entire preliminary round of the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship in Thailand.Now the real work begins, as South Korea are set to take on Jordan in their first knockout match of the tournament.The quarterfinals showdown will kick off at Thammasat Stadium in Rangs

Jan 17, 2020   Baseball

S. Korea remains at No. 3 in baseball world rankings

South Korea stayed at No. 3 in the latest baseball's world rankings released Friday.The World Baseball Softball Confederation said South Korea will head into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as world No. 3 with 4,622 points, behind Japan (6,127) and the United States (4,676). Chinese Taipei is in fourth with 4,352 points.The WBSC rankings measure national team performance -- from under-12 to professional -- in WBSC-sanctioned international competitions over a four-year period.At the most recent WBSC tou

Jan 15, 2020   Soccer

S. Korea beats Uzbekistan to win group at Olympic football qualifying tournament

RANGSIT, Thailand -- South Korea defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 to take the top seed in their group at the Olympic men‘s football qualifying tournament on Wednesday.Forward Oh Se-hun celebrated his 21st birthday with a two-goal performance, helping South Korea to their third straight victory in Group C at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand.The AFC tournament doubles as the Asian qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the

Jan 14, 2020   More sports

Teen phenom becomes 1st S. Korean figure skater to win Winter Youth Olympics gold

Powered by a clean routine, teen sensation You Young has become the first South Korean figure skater to capture a gold medal at the Winter Youth Olympics.You earned 140.49 points in free skating in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Monday (local time), for a combined score of 214 to win the ladies' singles title. Her two closest competitors, Russia's Kseniia Sinitsyna and Anna Frolova, were both undone by miscues in their own free programs.The Winter Youth Olympics, an International Olympic Committee ev

Jan 13, 2020   More sports

S. Korea qualifies for women's volleyball at Tokyo 2020

South Korea qualified for the women's volleyball tournament at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-20) victory over Thailand to take the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament.Captain Kim Yeon-koung returned from one-game absence to put on a dominant show with 22 points at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, helping South Korea to reach its third straight Olympics in women's volleyball.Only the winner of this qualifying tournament earned the ticket to Jap

Jan 12, 2020   More sports

S. Korea beats Chinese Taipei, 1 win away from Olympic women's volleyball tournament

Without its best player, South Korea rallied to defeat Chinese Taipei at the Asian Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament on Saturday, moving within one win of clinching a spot at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games.South Korea reached the final of the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament with a 3-1 (18-25, 25-9, 25-15, 25-14) win over Chinese Taipei at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.Having lost its captain and top attacker, Kim Yeon-koung, to an abdominal injury, world No.

Jan 11, 2020   Soccer

Son Heung-min's wonder strike voted top goal for Dec. in Premier League

Son Heung-min's mesmerizing solo strike for Tottenham Hotspur against Burnley has been voted the best goal for December in the Premier League.The English league announced Friday (local time) that Son earned his second career Goal of the Month award for his dazzling effort. His goal was chosen by a panel of experts, combined with a public vote.On Dec. 7 against Burnley at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Son secured the ball at the edge of his own penalty box to begin his dash. Son zipped pas

Jan 10, 2020   Olympic Games

As Winter Youth Olympics host, S. Korea to bring together teen athletes for competition, cultural activities

 The Youth Olympic Games, a fledgling sporting event organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), are designed to bring together young athletes from around the world, not just for athletic competition, but for cultural and educational activities.And South Korea will provide the stage for these programs in early 2024, when its eastern province of Gangwon will host the Winter Youth Olympics. It'll be the second IOC winter competition for the region, after PyeongChang hosted the 201

Jan 10, 2020   Olympic Games

S. Korea named host of 2024 Winter Youth Olympics

South Korea has been named the host country of the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.   The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Gangwon Province in eastern South Korea the right to stage the fourth edition of the quadrennial youth competition, following a vote during its 135th Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Friday.Of 81 valid votes, Gangwon received 79 votes in its favor, with only two against its bid. South Korea is now the first Asian country to host the Winter Youth Olympic

Jan 10, 2020   Olympic Games

S. Korea squeeze past China to open Olympic men's football qualifying tournament

South Korea opened their Olympic men's football qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over China on Thursday.Second-half sub Lee Dong-jun scored in the dying seconds of the otherwise dull match, as South Korea defeated China by the narrowest of margins to begin Group C action at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Championship at Tinsulanon Stadium in Songkhla, Thailand.Lee, the 2019 MVP in the second-tier K League 2, converted a pass from his Busan IPark teammate Kim Jin-kyu for the last-gas

Jan 9, 2020   Olympic Games

S. Korea defeats Kazakhstan to top group at Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament

South Korea beat Kazakhstan to win its group in the preliminary round of the Olympic women's volleyball qualifying tournament on Thursday.Lee Jae-yeong put up 18 points, helping world No. 9 South Korea past the 23rd-ranked Kazakhstan 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-21) for its third straight victory in Pool B at Korat Chatchai Hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. South Korea didn't drop a set during the preliminary stage.The winner of this tournament will compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Both Sout

Jan 5, 2020   Soccer

Reigning S. Korean football MVP rejoins league champions

Midfielder Kim Bo-kyung, the 2019 South Korean pro football MVP, couldn't beat Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for the league title last year. So he's joining them this year.Fresh off their third consecutive K League 1 championship, Jeonbuk announced on Sunday they're bringing back the playmaking midfielder after two seasons away. Financial terms were not disclosed.Kim, 30, spent the 2019 season with Ulsan Hyundai FC, on a one-year loan from his original club in Japan, Kashiwa Reysol. The former Premier

Jan 2, 2020   Olympic Games

Ministry to spread Korean culture to teens from 29 countries at 2020 Dream Program

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday that it will hold the 2020 Dream Program with the PyeongChang 2018 Legacy Foundation from Monday to Jan. 18.This year, 123 teenagers from 29 countries will take part in the program held mainly in Gangwon Province. “We will spread the Olympic values of fair competition and hard physical training through the 2020 Dream Program. Moreover, we plan to further strengthen cultural and physical exchanges to uphold the legacy of the Pye

Dec 31, 2019   Baseball

KBO club Wiz re-sign outfielder Mel Rojas Jr.

South Korean baseball club KT Wiz announced Tuesday they'll bring back outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. for his fourth straight year with the team.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Rojas, 29, has agreed to a new one-year deal worth up to $1.5 million. He'll make $800,000 in guaranteed salary, $500,000 in signing bonus and up to $200,000 in incentives.Rojas batted .322 with 24 home runs and 104 RBIs in 2019, and earned his first Golden Glove, awarded to the best overall player at each position. T