Organizers betting hopes on rush of last-minute purchases by Koreans

Vietnam national football team's new South Korean head coach Park Hang-seo on Wednesday vowed to make his side the best among teams in Southeast Asia. Park officially signed a contract with the Vietnam Football Federation in Hanoi to lead its men's national team until 2020. Vietnamese media reported that Park will receive an annual salary of between $240,000 and $260,000."I will give all of my knowledge, philosophy and passion to Vietnam that selected me," Park said at a press conference. "I pur

South Korea's culture minister vowed Wednesday to host a successful and safe Winter Olympics in February to a group of diplomatic mission chiefs in Korea.Do Jong-hwan, the minister of culture, sports and tourism, attended the opening of "World Culture Collage," a variety of multilateral cultural programs aimed at celebrating the cultural heritages of the countries participating in the upcoming global sports event to enhance mutual understanding."This Olympics will contribute to peace and stabili

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland -- South Korea fell 3-1 to Morocco in a friendly football match here on Tuesday.Morocco's Oussama Tannane grabbed a brace and Ismail Haddad added another goal to sink South Korea at Tissot Arena in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. South Korea's only goal came from Son Heung-min's penalty kick.This was South Korea's second friendly since they qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup last month. Three days ago, South Korea suffered a 4-2 loss to World Cup host Russia in Moscow.The l

Rookie sensation Lee Jung-hoo headlines the South Korean national baseball team for an inaugural offseason tournament this fall.The Korea Baseball Organization announced a 25-man final roster for the Asia Professional Baseball Championship, which will take place from Nov. 16-19 in Tokyo. It will feature pros from South Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei under 24 years of age -- born on or after Jan. 1, 1993 -- or those with less than three years of professional experience.Lee Jung-hoo, hot-hitting

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland -- South Korea's football governing body is in search of opponents for the men's national team's friendly matches next month, an official said Tuesday, with priority given to European and South American countries. An official with the Korea Football Association said that South Korea plan to play two friendly matches at home during FIFA's international match day period between Nov. 6 and 14, and they are looking for opponents. "Since World Cup qualification is ongoing on

Cho Jin-ho, head coach of the second-tier South Korean pro football club Busan IPark FC, died of a heart attack Tuesday, team officials said. He was 44. An official with Busan said Cho collapsed near his residence in the morning while on his way to work. Cho was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead. Cho was one of South Korea's top football prospects in the 1990s. An energetic attacking midfielder, he played for South Korea at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1991 and 1993, before makin

Head coaches of South Korea's top six pro football clubs on Tuesday asked fans to trust the beleaguered men's national team boss Shin Tae-yong, saying he needs more time and support.South Korea, ranked 51st in the latest FIFA rankings, have yet to collect a victory under Shin, who took over the helm in July following Uli Stielike's exit. Shin managed to guide South Korea to the 2018 FIFA World Cup last month after getting two scoreless draws with Iran and Uzbekistan, but was criticized for the t

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland -- South Korean football body is set to hire foreign assistants for the men's national team as head coach Shin Tae-yong will meet with job candidates in Germany this week. An official with the Korea Football Association said Monday that Shin will interview applicants for the national team's assistant and fitness coaching positions in Frankfurt, Germany, before the South Korean squad returns home from a friendly in Switzerland. South Korea, ranked 51st in the latest FIFA

Coaches of South Korea’s top six soccer clubs said Tuesday they are ready to put in their best efforts to take the league’s championship trophy in the remaining five matches.The K League Classic is operating under the split system, in which the 12 teams are divided into two tiers after their first 33 matches. Starting this weekend, they will play five more matches within their groups to conclude the 2017 season.Four-time champion Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors leads the way in the upper group, or Group

INCHEON -- Three of the brightest stars in women's golf today will take their battle to South Korea this week, as the LPGA Tour makes its lone annual stop in the country.The LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship will begin Thursday at the Ocean Course at Sky72 Golf & Resort, situated next to Incheon International Airport. The Ocean Course is hosting the tournament for the 10th consecutive year.The strong field of 78 players features nine of the top-10 players on the women's golf rankings. And the top

BUSAN -- At first glance, the Lotte Giants' 1-0 victory over the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization postseason game Monday may seem like the product of a pitching duel.But this nail-biting contest at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was much more than that. Both clubs put on a display of maddening inability to cash in on their opportunitiesWhen the stakes are high and pitchers dig deep in playoffs, hitters have to pounce on what few chances they get and not do

The Lotte Giants blanked the NC Dinos 1-0 to even their Korea Baseball Organization postseason series at one game apiece Monday.Starter Brooks Raley tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings before leaving the game with a leg injury, and the bullpen took care of the rest at Sajik Stadium in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.The Giants bounced back after dropping the opening game 9-2 in 11 innings Sunday. The best-of-five series will resume in Changwon, about 50 kilometers west of Busan, on Wednesday.T

South Korea will try to end their winless streak in international football when they take on Morocco this week. South Korea, ranked 51st in the latest FIFA rankings, will face No. 56 Morocco at Tissot Arena in Biel/Bienne in Switzerland on Tuesday. This is the second friendly match for South Korea after they qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup last month. South Korea have not collected a win in their last five matches. Since they beat Syria at home in the final Asian World Cup qualifying round

BIEL/BIENNE, Switzerland -- South Korea football coach Shin Tae-yong said Monday players having easygoing mentality will not be selected for the national team as his side gear up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Shin's team arrived in Switzerland on Sunday to play a friendly match with Morocco. The Taeguk Warriors are scheduled to face the African side at Tissot Arena in Biel/Bienne on Tuesday. The match against Morocco is South Korea's second friendly since they confirmed a World Cup spot last mont