Crafty midfielder rejoins K League club after European stint

After more than four years away, South Korean international midfielder Kwon Chang-hoon is rejoining his old club. Suwon Samsung Bluewings of the K League 1 announced Wednesday they've reacquired the 26-year-old midfielder. Financial terms were not disclosed. Kwon made his professional debut for Suwon in 2013 and spent four seasons there, notching 22 goals and nine assists in 109 matches at all competitions. He embarked on a European career in January 2017, first signing with the French club D

May 26, 2021

Son Heung-min, rising stars to represent S. Korea at World Cup qualifiers

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min and a group of youngsters will look to take South Korea to the next phase in the ongoing qualifying campaign for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Son was one of 28 players named to the South Korean men's national team Monday by head coach Paulo Bento, ahead of three World Cup qualifying matches scheduled for June. South Korea will serve as the centralized venue for all remaining Group H matches in the second round qualifying action for Asian countries. Teams last p

May 24, 2021

Tottenham's Son Heung-min ends 6th Premier League season with career-best 17 goals

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min has wrapped up his most successful Premier League campaign to date. Son got the start and was taken out during second-half injury time, as Tottenham beat Leicester City 4-2 at King Power Stadium in Leicester, England, on Sunday (local time). It provided a positive conclusion to an otherwise disappointing season for Tottenham, which finished in seventh place on 62 points and settled for the third-tier continental competition, UEFA Europa Confe

May 24, 2021

S. Korea to face Ghana in Olympic men's football tuneups

The South Korean men's Olympic football team will host Ghana twice next month for tuneup matches ahead of the Tokyo Summer Games. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Friday the two countries will play at 7 p.m. on June 12 and again at 8 p.m. on June 15. Both matches will be played at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. These will be the first official matches for South Korea's under-23 Olympic team since November last year, when they faced Egypt and Brazil in a friendly

May 21, 2021

[Newsmaker] Football star Ki Sung-yueng grilled over suspected land speculation case

Football star Ki Sung-yueng has been summoned by police and questioned on charges of illegally buying and using farmland in the southwestern city Gwangju, police said Monday. Ki, the captain of FC Seoul in the K League 1, was grilled as a suspect by investigators at the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency for three hours, beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday, the police agency said. Ki and his father, Ki Young-ok, have been booked without detention on charges of violating the Agricultural Land Act and

May 3, 2021

Tottenham's Son Heung-min ties career high with 21st goal of season

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has tied his European single-season career high with 21 goals. In a Premier League match against Sheffield United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (local time), the South Korean star netted a goal to help his team get a comfortable 4-0 victory. It is Son's 16th goal of the 2020-2021 Premier League season, placing him third on the Premier League's top scorer list, following his teammate Harry Kane with a leading 21 goals and Mohamed Salah of Liv

May 3, 2021

FC Seoul defender Hwang Hyun-soo diagnosed with COVID-19

FC Seoul defender Hwang Hyun-soo has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the K League 1 club said Monday. The 26-year-old was given a positive coronavirus test result Sunday afternoon after an acquaintance he met six days prior tested positive for the virus, the club said. Hwang learned of the infection of his acquaintance Saturday afternoon and immediately reported it to his club, which relayed the news to the Korea Professional Football League (K League). All other FC Seoul players and coaches te

May 3, 2021

Son Heung-min's career-high 15th goal results in Tottenham's 2-1 victory over Southampton

Tottenham Hotspur's striker Son Heung-min has scored his career-high 15th goal in a Premier League season In a Premier League match against Southampton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Wednesday (local time), the South Korean star netted a goal from the penalty spot in added time to give his team a 2-1 victory. It is Son's 15th goal of the 2020-2021 Premier League season, breaking his previous personal best total of 14 set in the 2016-2017 season. Son placed fourth in the league's to

April 22, 2021

Spurs to take action after Korean star Son racially abused

Tottenham Hotspur are to take action after Korean star Son Heung-min was subjected to "abhorrent racist abuse" on social media following Sunday's 3-1 defeat by Manchester United. Son is the second Spurs player in as many matches to suffer such abuse following Davinson Sanchez after the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United on Apr. 4. Son scored Spurs's goal but was involved in a controversial incident when he went down clutching his face after contact with Scott McTominay. That resulted i

April 12, 2021

Tottenham's Son Heung-min ties Premier League career high with 14th goal of season

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has equaled his career high for goals in a Premier League season. The South Korean star netted his 14th goal of the campaign in a3-1 loss to Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (local time). Son's 40th-minute goal, set up by Lucas Moura, put Tottenham ahead 1-0, but Man United rallied with three unanswered goals for the victory. This was Son's first goal in the league since Feb. 7 against West Bromwich Albion. With 14 goals, Son

April 12, 2021

K League contenders looking to create two-horse race for 3rd straight year

They've dominated South Korean club football for the past two years. And Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, the K League 1 champions in both seasons, and Ulsan Hyundai FC, runners-up both times, are trying to turn the 2021 season into yet another two-horse race. Jeonbuk are sitting pretty atop the tables thanks to an eight-match undefeated run to open the season. With 20 points from six wins and two draws, Jeonbuk are three points ahead of Ulsan (five wins, two draws and one loss). Below Ulsan are three

April 9, 2021

Women's football coach says Olympic dream not over yet despite loss to China

One loss, however crushing it may be, won't end South Korea's dream of playing in the women's football tournament at this year's Tokyo Olympics, head coach Colin Bell said Thursday. Bell's charges lost to China 2-1 in the opening leg of the Olympic women's football qualifying playoffs at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul. Wang Shuang's 73rd-minute penalty was the difference in a hard-fought contest. Down by one goal in the aggregate score and by two in away goals, South Korea f

April 8, 2021

Jeonbuk remain undefeated in K League after winning rival match

Seven matches into the 2021 K League 1 season, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors are the only undefeated club. Jeonbuk defeated Suwon Samsung Bluewings 3-1 on Saturday, a match contested against the backdrop of Jeonbuk's controversial acquisition of a former Suwon youth player Paik Seung-ho. Suwon have claimed that Paik, one-time FC Barcelona prospect, had contractual obligations to sign with them after returning from Europe. But Jeonbuk have countered that the midfielder was available because Suwon had

April 5, 2021

Tottenham's Son Heung-min held off score sheet in return from injury

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min has returned from a hamstring injury, playing the first half of a 2-2 draw against Newcastle United in Premier League action on the weekend. Son didn't record a shot in his 45 minutes of action at St. James' Park in Newcastle upon Tyne in England on Sunday (local time). Carlos Vinicius started the second half in Son's place. It was Son's first match since injuring his left hamstring in a North London Derby against Arsenal on March 14. It only cost Son one Prem

April 5, 2021

Clubs caught up in signing controversy set for clash as K League season resumes

Two rival clubs at odds over a disputed player acquisition will square off in the K League 1 as the season resumes over the weekend following a brief international break. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, currently in first place with 14 points, will visit Suwon Samsung Bluewings, in fourth with 11 points, at 2 p.m. Saturday. The kickoff is at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, 45 kilometers south of Seoul. It's a matchup between the league's most productive offense (Jeonbuk) and its stingiest defense (S

April 1, 2021

S. Korean defender wary of Japan's 'precise passing' ahead of football friendly

On the eve of his team's football friendly match against Japan, South Korean defender Kim Young-gwon said Wednesday he'll keep a close eye on the opposition's passing game. The two longtime rivals will square off at 7:20 p.m. Thursday at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, south of Tokyo. It's their first meeting since December 2019, and 80th head-to-head match overall. In an interview clip provided by the Korea Football Association (KFA) Wednesday, Kim reflected on what he learned from facing Japan o

March 24, 2021

[Newsmaker] Football star Ki Sung-yueng files damage claim against accusers

South Korean football star Ki Sung-yueng has filed a claim for damages against two former teammates who have accused him of sexual assault from over 20 years ago. Ki's legal representative, Song Sang-yeop of the Seoul-based law firm Seopyeong, put out a press release on Monday, announcing that Ki is seeking 500 million won ($442,530) in compensation for damages caused by what Ki has said are false accusations against him. Song said the claim was filed at the Seoul Central District Court. Separ

March 22, 2021

FC Seoul continue early-season surge behind captain's unexpected scoring prowess

FC Seoul captain Ki Sung-yueng has never been a goal scorer. The 32-year-old midfielder has built his career on setting up forwards with long passes and relying on his on-field vision to play solid two-way game. And yet, here is Ki, having scored in three straight matches for his K League 1 club. Ki's equalizer late in the first half helped pave the way for FC Seoul's 2-1 victory over Suwon Samsung Bluewings on Sunday in the season's first "Super Match" derby. Ki has three goals over

March 22, 2021

Decimated nat'l football team replaces injured midfielder

The South Korean men's national football team has been bitten hard by an injury bug ahead of a friendly match against Japan, with yet another key player getting cut with a leg injury Monday. The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Ulsan Hyundai FC midfielder Yoon Bitgaram suffered a left calf injury over the weekend and will be replaced by his K League 1 teammate, Lee Dong-gyeong. Yoon was hurt during a league match against Daegu FC on Sunday and was substituted early in the second half. Co

March 22, 2021

Injured Tottenham star Son Heung-min to miss Korean friendly vs. Japan

Tottenham Hotspur's injured Korean star Son Heung-min has been ruled out of his country's friendly match against Japan this week. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Sunday that Son will not be made available by the Premier League club for Thursday's match in Yokohama, just south of Tokyo. Son suffered a left hamstring injury during a Premier League match against Arsenal in London last Sunday. The match was played in the early hours of Monday in South Korea, and merely hours after

March 21, 2021