Volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung says her retirement ceremony will be in May

Kim Yeon-koung (Heungkuk Life Insurance), who announced her retirement at the end of this season, confirmed that her farewell match will take place during the “KYK Invitational 2025” event game in May.

Kim shared through her club and YouTube channel, Friday, “My joints hurt, and I thought it was right to retire while I still have top-level skills,” adding, “I will hold my official retirement ceremony during the all-star event (KYK Invitational 2025) in May, where international players will be invited.”

A day earlier, after leading her team to a 3-1 victory over GS Caltex in the 2024–25 V-League Women’s Division match at Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium, Kim declared in a post-game interview, “Regardless of this season’s results, I will retire at the end of the season.”

Regarding her sudden announcement, she explained, “I wanted to announce it before the season started, but I needed discussions with my club and management. I thought it would be best to share it around the end of the third round so that many people could have time to prepare emotionally.”

Kim also encouraged volleyball fans to come see her remaining matches in person. “Once this season ends, you won’t see Kim Yeon-koung playing volleyball anymore,” she said with a smile. “Even those who thought they’d watch me later should come to the stadium now.”

She emphasized that she has no regrets about her career, saying, “I gave it my all” and “I feel relieved.” However, she admitted that missing out on medals at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics were "moments that left lingering regrets."

Reflecting on her career, Kim added, “I’ve worked hard all these years. Now, I want to put down the burden and live my second life more comfortably.” She continued, “I hope to give back the love I’ve received. I will continue contributing to volleyball in some way, doing my best in whatever role I take on.”

Kim began her professional career in the 2005–06 V-League season and later played in Japan, Türkiye, and China, solidifying her status as one of the world’s best volleyball players. Despite spending only eight seasons in the V-League, she ranks sixth in all-time scoring with 5,250 points. As of Feb. 13, she is currently sixth in scoring (521 points) and second in overall attack percentage (45.36 percent) this season.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.