PSG's Lee Kang-in to be sidelined for 'several weeks' due to injury

The French football champions Paris Saint-Germain will be without their South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in for "several weeks" due to an injury. The club announced Friday that Lee will be sidelined after sustaining a left thigh injury during the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar against CR Flamengo. Lee got the start in the match held Wednesday but was subbed out in the 35th minute after picking up his injury. Minutes earlier, Lee had gotten tangled up with Gonzalo Plata and fallen awkwa

Dec. 20, 2025

[Graphic News] S. Korea kicks off 2026 World Cup journey

South Korea has been drawn into Group A for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside co-host Mexico, South Africa and the eventual winner of European playoff Group D, which includes Denmark, the Czech Republic, Ireland and North Macedonia. The final European qualifier will be decided on April 1, 2026. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, featuring 104 matches over 39 days. South Korea’s group-stage schedule has been fully confirmed and will take place entirely in Mexico. Korea will open it

Dec. 19, 2025

South Korea aims for joint UNESCO listing of taekwondo with North Korea

The Korea Heritage Service said Wednesday that it will seek to have taekwondo recognized as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, expressing its intention to pursue a joint nomination with North Korea. The government agency responsible for cultural heritage said it aims to submit its application for the Korean martial art in March, following Pyongyang’s separate application to UNESCO in March 2024. The evaluation and final decision are expected next year. The move comes as part of the Korea Her

Dec. 17, 2025

Speed skater Kim Min-sun trying to peak in time for Olympics

Following a shaky start to her season in November, speed skater Kim Min-sun claimed her first World Cup medal of the campaign over the weekend in Norway, with a third-place finish in her main event, the 500 meters. And with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics less than two months away, Kim said Tuesday she is trying to peak in time for the big event. "Reaching the podium in my last event (before the Olympics) gave me confidence," Kim told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul,

Dec. 16, 2025

Ex-national team forward Suk Hyun-jun joins new K League 2 club

Suk Hyun-jun, former South Korea international once convicted of dodging mandatory military service, will get a fresh start with a new second-division club in his old stomping ground. Yongin FC, set to make their K League 2 debut in 2026, announced Monday they have acquired the 34-year-old Suk. The well-traveled forward has spent the bulk of his club career in Europe, with stops in the Netherlands, Portugal, Turkey and France, plus a brief stint in Saudi Arabia. He has accumulated 15 caps for th

Dec. 15, 2025

Olympic skeleton medal hopeful Jung Seung-gi claims World Cup bronze

South Korean Olympic skeleton medal hopeful Jung Seung-gi earned his first World Cup podium finish in nearly two years Friday in Norway. Jung claimed the bronze medal in the men's skeleton at the second International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Cup of the season in Lillehammer, with a combined time of 1:42.66 after two runs. Matt Weston of Britain won the title in 1:42.58, and Axel Jungk of Germany took second place in 1:42.63. Jung had the second-fastest time in the first run at 51.25

Dec. 12, 2025

Korea to take 'scientific approach' in selecting World Cup base camp: coach

South Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo said Friday his team will need to take "more of a scientific approach" when selecting their base camp for next year's FIFA World Cup. Hong returned home after attending the World Cup draw in Washington last week and then checking out base camp options for the Taegeuk Warriors in Mexico, one of three co-hosts alongside the United States and Canada. South Korea ended up in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and a European playoff winner to be determined in March

Dec. 12, 2025

Marathon coach in viral finish-line video receives heavy penalty

Coach Kim Wan-ki of the Samcheok City Hall marathon team, whose attempt at postrace care of a marathoner at the finish line sparked heated debate online last month, has been heavily penalized. The Samcheok Sports Council said Thursday that Kim has been suspended from duties for one year and six months for negligence of duty, abuse of authority, human rights violations and workplace harassment. The decision came from the council’s disciplinary committee a day earlier. Controversy erupted after a

Dec. 11, 2025

Lingard’s tearful farewell and 3 changes he says K League needs

Jesse Lingard ended his time at FC Seoul with a goal and a tearful farewell, leaving behind a message on where he believes the K League must improve. The former Manchester United and Premier League star captained Seoul in his final match against Melbourne City on Wednesday in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage, scoring the team’s only goal before saying goodbye to home fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Lingard, one of the biggest names ever to play in the K League, joined FC Seoul in Febr

Dec. 11, 2025

Potential big leaguer Song Sung-mun hoping to tick off bucket list with Golden Glove

Only two years ago, Kiwoom Heroes third baseman Song Sung-mun was considered a mediocre player at best, unable to hit for much power or average while being overshadowed by future major leaguers on his own team. But with two outstanding seasons in a row, Song has emerged as one of the very best in the Korea Baseball Organization at any position. The latest validation of Song's surge in his late 20s can come Tuesday evening, when he is widely expected to win his first Golden Glove. The annual awar

Dec. 9, 2025

[Graphic News] Lee Sang-hwa’s 12-year record falls, legacy endures

The women’s 500-meter speed skating world record, held by South Korea’s Lee Sang-hwa for 12 years, has been broken. Femke Kok of the Netherlands set a new world record with a time of 36.09 seconds in the women’s 500 during the first round of the 2025-2026 ISU Speed Skating World Cup, surpassing Lee’s long-standing mark by 0.27 seconds. Lee’s was one of the most dominant sprinters in speed skating history. She captured back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 500 meters at the 2010 Vancouver and 2

Dec. 9, 2025

Korea coach sees no easy opponent in World Cup group

WASHINGTON -- With South Korea having avoided a top-10 opponent in the group stage of next year's FIFA World Cup, head coach Hong Myung-bo still said Friday there won't be any easy team for his side. At the draw for the big tournament held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., earlier in the day, South Korea ended up in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and a winner of one of four European playoffs. Mexico are the highest-ranked team in that group at No. 15, seven spots ahead of South Korea

Dec. 6, 2025

FC Seoul parting ways with ex-Man United star Lingard

FC Seoul announced Friday they will part ways with captain Jesse Lingard after the English star's two seasons in South Korea. FC Seoul said they sought to exercise their option for Lingard's third year in the K League 1, but the 32-year-old midfielder, even though he enjoyed his time with FC Seoul, wanted to take his talent to a different league at this stage in his career. "We had in-depth talks with Lingard, trying to persuade him to stay with us for a little longer, but in the end, we decided

Dec. 5, 2025

S. Korea coach finds it tough to predict best-case scenario at World Cup draw

South Korea men's football head coach Hong Myung-bo said Wednesday he could not yet predict the best possible scenario for his side at the upcoming draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Hong landed at Dulles International Airport, near Washington, earlier in the day in order to attend the World Cup draw scheduled at noon Friday at the Kennedy Center in the US capital, or 2 a.m. Saturday. "Playing at a World Cup itself is a huge honor, for me personally as well," Hong told reporters upon his arrival.

Dec. 4, 2025

Lee, IOC chief highlight sports' role in improving inter-Korean ties

President Lee Jae Myung met with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry on Wednesday and discussed the role of sports in improving inter-Korean relations, his office said. The two met at the presidential office during Coventry's visit to South Korea to attend a world anti-doping conference in the southeastern city of Busan. Lee asked the IOC chief for her interest and support for the development of South Korean sports, saying he hopes to be able to "see the Olympic flag" in th

Dec. 3, 2025