Sports Briefs
Kim Hyun-soo inks record W750 million deal
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Kim Hyun-soo
Korean baseball team Doosan Bears has re-signed outfielder Kim Hyun-soo for a record 750 million won ($680,210) for the 2015 season, the biggest deal between a baseball club and a non-free agent player.
Kim’s renewed contract also marks the highest increase in a salary at his club. His annual income rose 66.7 percent from 450 million won ($408,126).
Kim, 27, boasts a career average of .317, 117 home-runs and 650 runs batted-in over the last eight years at the Doosan Bears.
After this season, Kim will become a free agent, which means, any club willing to scout him will have to pay a 300 percent-increase of his salary ― 2.25 billion won ($2.04 million) ― or 200 percent and offer a compensation player.
Bae, Noh ready for PGA tour sortie
Two Korean pro-golfers Bae Sang-moon, 29, and Noh Seung-yul, 24, are ready to tee off in this year’s first PGA tour, Hyundai Tournament of Champions, to be held at the Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, United States, on Friday.
The tournament is only open to golfers who won PGA tournaments last year. Bae and Noh each earned their PGA Tour wins at Frys.com Open in Napa and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2014, respectively.
The two golfers are ready to compete in the tournament of champions, although Bae is currently facing a problem with his incomplete military service. The conscription law requires him to join the military before the end of January 2015.
However, Bae has confirmed his decision to participate in the tournament that ends mid January.
This is Bae’s second time at the Hyundai Tournament, he managed to win the 2013 HP Byron Nelson Championship to qualify for the tournament last year, but came in 21st.
For Noh, this is his first Hyundai Tournament.
U-18 soccer team gives new coach first win
Korea’s national U-18 football team defeated Moscow 2-0 in the first round of the 2015 Valentin Granatkin Memorial International Youth Tournament at Saint Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday.
It was the first victory for head coach An Ik-soo since he took over on Dec. 17. His team drew with Finland on Sunday.
Midfielder Lee Dong-jun scored the first goal in the 18th minute. Kang Ji-hun added the second goal 26 minutes into the second half.