Jul 10, 2018

Koreas want to use flag showing Dokdo during 2018 Asian Games

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- South and North Korea have requested the top Asian sports governing body to allow use of a unification flag showing the South's eastern islets of Dokdo during the upcoming Asian Games, Seoul's Olympic chief said Tuesday.Lee Kee-heung, who leads the South's Korean Olympic & Sport Committee, said that the two Koreas recently sent a request to the Olympic Council of Asia for the use of a flag showing Dokdo when their joint team appears at the 18th Asian Games

Jul 10, 2018

S. Korea aims for 2nd place at Asian Games

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- South Korea on Tuesday vowed to fend off its longtime sporting rival Japan to secure second place at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Lee Kee-heung said that South Korea aims to finish second in the medal standings with at least 65 gold, 71 silver and 72 bronze. "Our goal is clear, which is to secure second place for six consecutive events," Lee said in a media event held at National Training Center in Jincheon,

Jul 9, 2018

Korea’s ‘Garlic Girl’ curling champion marries skating coach

Kim Eun-jung, the captain and the skip of the Korean women’s Olympic curling team, tied the knot on Saturday. The wedding was held in Daegu, where the groom works as a skating coach. The two had reportedly been dating for roughly five years.Members of the Olympic curling team gathered at the ceremony to celebrate the couple.  South Korean curler Kim Eun-jung poses for a photo with flowers at Goun Temple in Euiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, on March 12. (Yonhap) (Instagram)The Korea women’s cu

Jul 5, 2018

S. Korean coach has eye on 'a few players' for joint hoops team with N. Korea

PYONGYANG/SEOUL, (Joint Press Corps-Yonhap) -- South Korean women's national basketball head coach Lee Moon-kyu said Thursday he has his eye on "a few players" from North Korea, as the two sides try to figure out a way to combine their teams for this year's Asian Games.Lee got a first-hand look at North Korean national team players on Thursday in Pyongyang, when the Koreas met for a friendly match before a sellout crowd at the 12,000-seat Ryugyong Chung Ju-yung Gymnasium. It was part of a two-da

Jun 29, 2018

Park Tae-hwan pulls out of Asian Games

South Korean Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan announced Friday he'll skip this year's Asian Games in Indonesia, citing his poor form."I've realized that I am in no shape to post good records," Park said in a statement released by his agency, Team GMP. "Rather than saying I am retiring, I'd like to take some time to think about my future."Park, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the men's 400-meter freestyle, won four races at the national team trials in April, and the Korea Swimming Federa

Jun 29, 2018

Chung Hyeon first seeded Korean tennis player at Grand Slam

South Korea’s highest ranked tennis player Chung Hyeon has been seeded 26th at Wimbledon, the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.The All England Club announced seeds for 2018 championship on Thursday.Among 32 players seeded in Gentlemen’s Singles, the South Korean was seeded 26th. (Yonhap)In Gentlemen’s Singles at the Championships, 128 athletes compete for the silver gilt trophy and 32 of them are given seeds with the intention to keep the best apart until later in the c

Jun 27, 2018

Park Tae-hwan qualifies for 4th straight Asian Games

The 2008 Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan will compete in his fourth consecutive Asian Games for South Korea, the sport's national governing body said Wednesday.The Korea Swimming Federation announced a roster of 31 male and 28 female athletes to represent the country at the Aug. 18-Sept. 2 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia.Park, who won the Olympic title in the men's 400-meter freestyle 10 years ago, will be racing in his fourth consecutive Asiad. (Yonhap)The 28-year-old ma

Jun 25, 2018

S. Korea looking for miracle in match vs. Germany

South Korea will strive to make a miracle in their final group stage match at the 2018 FIFA World Cup when they face the defending champions this week.South Korea will close out their group stage campaign with Germany at Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia, on Wednesday. In a clear "David versus Goliath" match, South Korea will try to upset the title holders Germany and hopefully earn a ticket to the round of 16.So far, none of the teams in Group F have sealed a knockout berth. From group leaders Mexic

Jun 25, 2018

Koreas to hold 4 basketball games in Pyongyang in July: sports ministry

The Koreas will hold four basketball matches in Pyongyang over two days next week as part of an earlier agreement, the South's sports ministry said Monday.Hwang Seong-un, spokesman for the ministry, told a press briefing that the Koreas will face each other in exhibition games and will also swap players for mixed competitions on July 4 and 5 in the North Korean capital.The two sides reached an agreement on the basketball games and other sporting exchanges on June 18. (Yonhap)Hwang added the game

Jun 23, 2018

Rangers’ Choo Shin-soo ties career high with 35-game on-base streak

　Texas Rangers’ South Korean designated hitter Choo Shin-soo has tied his career high by reaching base safely in 35 consecutive games.　Choo went 2-for-4 with his 14th home run of the season against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday (local time). (Yonhap)　Batting leadoff as the designated hitter, Choo launched a two-run shot off Minnesota starter Fernando Romero in the top of the fifth inning, keeping his streak alive and giving the Rangers a 4-0 lead. Choo

Jun 19, 2018

S. Korean canoe federation pushing for joint team with N. Korea at Asiad, worlds

The South Korean canoe governing body said Tuesday it has made joint team proposals to North Korea for this year's Asian Games and the dragon boat world championship.The Korea Canoe Federation also said it is in talks with the International Canoe Federation over co-hosting a future dragon boat world championship with the North.The 2018 Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia from Aug. 18-Sept. 2. The 2018 ICF Dragon Boat World Championship will be in Gainesville, Georgia,

Jun 18, 2018

Ex-nat'l short track coach interrogated by police for alleged assault of athlete

SUWON -- A former South Korean national short track coach banned for allegedly assaulting an athlete was interrogated by police on Monday.Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, some 45 kilometers south of Seoul, called in Cho Jae-beom for interrogation at 10 a.m. Monday, and he was grilled for nearly eight hours. Cho Jae-beom (Yonhap)Police sources said Cho admitted to his charges. Cho refused to answer reporters' questions as he entered the police station and only said he'd cooperate

Jun 15, 2018

Govt. to professionalize taekwondo, make it more accessible

South Korea announced Friday it will seek to professionalize its traditional martial art of taekwondo and make it more accessible to a wider population.The sports ministry, in conjunction with four taekwondo organizations (World Taekwondo, Korea Taekwondo Association, Kukkiwon and Taekwondo Promotion Foundation), announced strategies and policy goals to develop taekwondo.The ministry said it will look for ways to make taekwondo a professional sport, with financial independence ensured through co

Jun 7, 2018

S. Korea, N. Korea to form joint judo team for East Asian competition

South Korea and North Korea will form a joint judo team to compete in an upcoming East Asian competition, Seoul's judo governing body said Thursday.The Korea Judo Association said the two sides agreed to field a unified team at the 11th East Asian Judo Championships, although details need to be further discussed. The East Asian Judo Championships will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from Saturday to Sunday, featuring eight nations, including Japan and China.The KJA said the South will send col