Two former top rookie award winners in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) believe their new hotshot teammate is "the real deal."Lee Jeong-hoo, an 18-year-old rookie out of high school for the Nexen Heroes, was sensational in the preseason that wrapped up Sunday. He tied for the KBO lead with 15 hits in just 33 at-bats. Lee Jeong-hoo of the Nexen Heroes watches his hit against the NC Dinos in their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Masan Stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Provin

The Doosan Bears, winners of the past two Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) titles, are heavily favored to repeat as the champions in 2017.That doesn't mean their players aren't wary of their opponents. Kim Jae-ho of the Doosan Bears hits a two-run home run against the SK Wyverns in their Korea Baseball Organization preseason game at Incheon SK Happy Dream Park on March 21, 2017. (Yonhap)Shortstop Kim Jae-ho, team captain, and catcher Yang Eui-ji, voted the 2016 Korean Series MVP, in particular

All-Star left-hander Cha Woo-chan made a splash in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) offseason in December, becoming the highest-paid pitcher in the country. And he wants to live up to his contract by doing what he's been doing all along -- giving his team a consistent presence on the mound.The LG Twins signed him to a four-year deal worth 9.5 billion won ($8.5 million), luring him from the Samsung Lions after 11 seasons there. South Korean pitcher Cha Woo-chan throws a pitch against Chinese

In this undated photo provided by the Lotte Giants baseball club, Parker Markel prepares to make a pitch during the team's spring training. (Yonhap)South Korean baseball club Lotte Giants on Monday released an American pitcher Parker Markel before he even threw a regular season pitch.The Korea Baseball Organization team said Markel asked for the termination of his $525,000 contract, and the Giants agreed to place him on the voluntarily retired list.Players on that list are ineligible to perform

South Korean Lee Mi-rim has picked up her third career LPGA Tour title in California.Lee cruised to a six-shot victory at Kia Classic at par-72 Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California, on Sunday (local time). In this Associated Press photo, South Korean Lee Mi-rim watches her tee shot on the second hole during the final round of Kia Classic on the LPGA Tour on March 26, 2017, in Carlsbad, California. (Yonhap)She began the final round nursing a one-stroke lead over fellow South Korean Hur Mi-jun

South Korea football coach Uli Stielike said Friday he will try to improve the team's performance away from home after suffering a painful defeat to China in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. South Korea, ranked 40th in the FIFA rankings, fell 1-0 to 86th-ranked China at Helong Stadium in Changsha, China's Hunan Province, on Thursday. In the final regional qualification, South Korea are in Group A, along with Iran, Uzbekistan, Syria, China and Qatar.  South Korea foot

The four participants in a U-20 World Cup prep tournament in South Korea said Friday they'll try to enjoy football and gain experience ahead of the FIFA competition.With the FIFA U-20 World Cup less than two months away, South Korea have invited Honduras, Zambia and Ecuador for the tournament as a warm-up for players under 20. All four teams are participants of the U-20 World Cup that will be staged from May 20 to June 11 in six South Korean cities: Cheonan, Daejeon, Incheon, Jeju, Jeonju and Su

On the heels of yet another uninspired performance against a lower-ranked opponent, South Korean men's football head coach Uli Stielike finds himself in hot water again.South Korea dropped to China 1-0 Thursday in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but as frustrating as it was, it wasn't so much the loss itself that has angered the football-crazed fan base here. Uli Stielike (left), head coach of the South Korean men's national football team, waits for a team bus at In

South Korea's plan to send female football players to Pyongyang for the AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifying matches does not violate international sanctions against North Korea, a government official said Friday.The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Group B qualifying games will be held in North Korea from April 3-11. South Korean players will have a match with their North Korean counterparts on April 7. This file photo taken on Feb. 29, 2016, shows a female football match between South and North

Uli Stielike's job as the South Korean men's national football head coach is safe, despite a stunning loss to China in a World Cup qualifier, the sport's top national official said Friday.Chung Mong-gyu, head of the Korea Football Association, returned home with the rest of the team from Changsha, Hunan Province, early Friday morning on a red-eye flight, after South Korea suffered a 1-0 defeat to China in the final round of the Asian qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Uli Stielike, head

South Korea suffered a stunning 1-0 loss to China in the World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday.South Korea surrendered the winner to Yu Dabao in the first half to pick up their second loss in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Both South Korea and China are in Group A, along with Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar and Syria. (Yonhap)The defeat at Helong Stadium in Changsha, China's Hunan Province, leaves South Korea in danger of losing No. 2 spot in the group. The Taeguk Warr

After a strong preseason start Thursday, Doosan Bears' left-hander Chang Won-jun said he's fully ready for the regular season.The ace for the two-time reigning Korea Baseball Organization champion threw five shutout innings in a 9-2 victory over the Samsung Lions at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. He held the opponents to four hits and struck out four. In this file photo taken on March 6, 2017, Chang Won-jun of South Korea delivers a pitch against Israel in their World Baseball Classic game at Gocheok

Veteran left-hander Jang Won-sam has won a starting rotation job for the Samsung Lions on the strength of a strong preseason.Kim Han-soo, manager of the Korea Baseball Organization club, said Thursday Jang will take the fifth spot in the rotation when the regular season starts later this month. In this file photo taken on March 14, 2017, Jang Won-sam of the Samsung Lions (C) chats with teammates during a Korea Baseball Organization preseason game against the KT Wiz at Daegu Samsung Lions Park in

The double Olympic archery gold medalist Ku Bon-chan missed the national team cut for this season on Thursday.The Korea Archery Association said Ku finished 10th among 12 archers in the national team trials held in Gwangju, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul, with only the top eight athletes making the squad. In this file photo taken on Oct. 8, 2016, South Korean archer Ku Bon-chan competes in the National Sports Festival at Hongju Sports Complex in Hongseong, South Chungchong Province. (Yonhap)