The Korea Herald

‘Preparations going smoothly’

SoccerJan 9, 2015

CANBERRA (Yonhap) ― On the eve of his team’s first AFC Asian Cup match in Australia, South Korea men’s football head coach Uli Stielike said Friday preparations have gone well so far.South Korea is trying to win its first Asian Cup title since 1960, and the quest to end the drought will begin with Saturday’s Group A match against Oman here in Canberra. The kickoff is 4 p.m. here and 2 p.m. in Seoul.“We have on injuries to report, and the team morale is high,”Stielike said at the pre-match press
Presidential office says no plan to cohost 2018 Winter Games

More sportsJan 9, 2015

The presidential office on Friday spurned the possibility that the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics could be cohosted with North Korea, clarifying Seoul’s stance on the issue.“As far as I know, there is no change in the government’s position that the Winter Games should not be shared,” presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters. His remarks came as ranking officials expressed mixed views over cohosting, despite clear opposition from the organizing committee.On Monday, Choi Moon-soon, g
Messi, Neymar ease ‘crisis’ Barca toward Cup quarters

SoccerJan 9, 2015

MADRID (AFP) ― Barcelona eased their crisis ridden week with a comprehensive 5-0 thrashing of Elche to all but seal their place in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.Despite the speculation surrounding his future in recent days, Lionel Messi captained the side on his return to the starting line-up and scored from the penalty spot after goals from Neymar and Luis Suarez had already put the hosts in command.Jordi Alba added a fourth after the break before Neymar rounded off the scoring in style
S. Korea coach says preparations for Asian Cup

SoccerJan 9, 2015

On the eve of his team's first AFC Asian Cup match in Australia, South Korea men's football head coach Uli Stielike said Friday preparations have gone well so far.South Korea is trying to win its first Asian Cup title since 1960, and the quest to end the drought will begin with Saturday's Group A match against Oman here in Canberra. The kickoff is 4 p.m. here and 2 p.m. in Seoul."We have on injuries to report, and the team morale is high," Stielike said at the pre-match press conference at Canbe
Golf begins new year with events to keep eagle eye on

GolfJan 8, 2015

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) ― Predictions are a dangerous business, especially in golf.How many could have guessed that Tiger Woods, No. 1 in the world and coming off a five-win season, would play in only nine tournaments, finish only four of them and plunge to No. 32 in the world because of injuries?Or that Bubba Watson, who had gone 38 events without winning, would finish 2014 as highest-ranked American?Instead, the start of a new year at Kapalua allows a look into the future ― not what will happen,
Not to be taken lightly

SoccerJan 8, 2015

CANBERRA (Yonhap) ― When South Korea opens its 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign Saturday against Oman, it will face a team that has the potential to surprise unsuspecting opponents.South Korea is currently the third-highest ranked country in the AFC at 69th, while Oman is sitting at 93rd. South Korea holds an edge in all-time meetings with three wins and a loss, but the last clash between the two came in 2004.And based on its recent performance, Oman may not be such an easy hurdle for South Korea in
Lions sign Cloyd

BaseballJan 8, 2015

The reigning South Korean baseball champs Samsung Lions said Thursday they’ve signed former big league right-hander Tyler Cloyd.The Korea Baseball Organization club said they inked the 27-year-old pitcher for $550,000, along with a signing bonus of $100,000.Cloyd pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 and 2013, going 4-9 with a 5.89 ERA in 19 appearances, 17 of them starts. (Yonhap)
Bae Sang-moon to take legal action after being denied visa extension

GolfJan 8, 2015

Korean PGA Tour golfer Bae Sang-moon will take legal action after the government here denied him an extension of his overseas travel and forced him to face conscription, his family said Thursday.Si Ok-hee, mother of the two-time PGA Tour winner, said Bae has hired an attorney to take the necessary legal steps after the Military Manpower Administration refused to extend his overseas travel permit last month.Bae’s permit expired at the end of last year and he must return home within 30 days of the
Johnson, Martinez among 4 voted into Hall of Fame

BaseballJan 7, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) ― Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz dominated in an era of offense, each in their own way.The 6-foot-10 Big Unit became the tallest of 215 players elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame and the 5-foot-11 Martinez the shortest pitcher picked for Cooperstown since Whitey Ford in 1974.Smoltz, who found unusual success both as a starting pitcher and a reliever, also was voted in Tuesday along with Craig Biggio, the first time since 1955 writers picked a quartet of players in on
Jang seeks ‘turning point’ on new team

BaseballJan 7, 2015

Jang Won-jun takes part in a press conference on Wednesday. (Yonhap)Jang Won-jun, South Korea’s most expensive pitcher who signed a record-setting free-agent contract with the Doosan Bears, said Wednesday he wants to have a “turning point” in his Korea Baseball Organization career on a new club.The Bears formally introduced Jang at their home park, Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, on Wednesday, a little more than a month after inking him to a four-year, 8.4 billion won ($7.6 million) contract. It was th
Glory on the line

SoccerJan 7, 2015

Korea aims to end 55-year title drought
Japan arrives without defender

SoccerJan 6, 2015

The Asian Cup will be part of a rapid getting-to-know-you phase for the bulk of teams and their coaches in Australia, adding an extra layer of difficulty ― and intrigue ― to the continental championship.There are plenty of new players for the quadrennial tournament starting Friday, and more new faces in the coaching ranks ― only six of the 16 teams had the same coach at the end of 2014 that they started the year with.Defending champion Japan arrived over the weekend missing one of its stars ― an
Organizers of Winter Games oppose cohosting with N. Korea

More sportsJan 6, 2015

The organizing committee for the 2018 Winter Olympics in the South Korean resort town of PyeongChang said Tuesday it is opposed to cohosting the quadrennial competition with North Korea, rejecting a view expressed earlier by the governor of the host city’s home province.Kwak Young-jin, the committee’s vice president of planning and administration, reiterated PyeongChang’s earlier stance that PyeongChang will not split any event of the Olympics with any other city.“With the construction for all c
Korea prepares for first cup match

SoccerJan 6, 2015

National team to take on Oman on Saturday
Reigning MVP to start with clean slate

BaseballJan 6, 2015

By all accounts, Nexen Heroes second baseman Seo Geon-chang had a season to remember in 2014, setting Korea Baseball Organization single-season records with 201 hits, 135 runs scored and 17 tripes, en route to winning his first MVP award. For his accomplishments ― which included his first batting title with a .370 average ― Seo also grabbed multiple trophies at several year-end baseball award ceremonies.Yet with the Heroes’ spring training set to open next week, Seo said Tuesday he will forget a