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    Inside Korea's fiercest football derbies: Local rivalries fuel K League's passion

    Everywhere this summer, the World Cup is turning football into a global obsession — and Korea is no exception. But inside the country, interest in the sport doesn't begin or end with the national team; it lives week in, week out in the K League, where, much like in Europe's traditional football heartlands, club rivalries shape how fans see the game and themselves. Rival cities trade songs, banners and barbs, and even those who can’t explain the offside rule quickly understand what is at stake: pride, belonging and the right to say, “our side won.” For local fans who love their club, football is not just a game but a ritual where the city’s identity is tested and defended for ninety breathless minutes. With that in mind, The Korea Times mapped out four key K League derbies that, based on interviews with 12 devoted, lifelong fans who would do anything to see their club win, offer a vivid window into Korean football’s culture and dynamics. East coast derby: Ulsan vs. Pohang In the K League 1 with 12 teams, the east coast derby is a quintessential regional rivalry that puts two i

    8 MIN READBy Lee Hae-rin
    Inside Korea's fiercest football derbies: Local rivalries fuel K League's passion
  • Sports

    Defending champion Argentina reaches World Cup final by beating England 2-1

    2 MIN READBy AP
    Defending champion Argentina reaches World Cup final by beating England 2-1
  • Sports

    Why is 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, not Mexico's iconic Estadio Azteca?

    3 MIN READBy Hankookilbo
    Why is 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, not Mexico's iconic Estadio Azteca?
  • Sports

    Son Heung-min returns to LAFC with big smile on his face

    2 MIN READBy Xportsnews
    Son Heung-min returns to LAFC with big smile on his face
  • Sports

    World Taekwondo sends federation flag into orbit ahead of 2027 world championships

    2 MIN READBy Jhoo Dong-chan
    World Taekwondo sends federation flag into orbit ahead of 2027 world championships
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

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Sports

Ex-KBO MVP Kim Do-yeong headlines Asian Games baseball roster

The 2024 Korean baseball league MVP Kim Do-yeong was selected to the national team for the upcoming Asian Games on Thursday. Kim, who was voted the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) regular-season MVP in 2024 for the Kia Tigers, was one of 24 players picked by manager Ryu Ji-hyun. The Asian Games will take place around Aichi Prefecture in Japan, with the prefecture's capital, Nagoya, serving as the main host. The competition will run from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4, with the baseball tournament set for Sept. 21-27. Korea will try to win its fifth straight Asiad gold in baseball. Korean male athletes who win Asian Games gold medals receive exemption from the mandatory military service. After years of dealing with criticism that it was picking undeserving older players just to give them a chance to earn military service exemption, the KBO, which governs professional baseball, began selecting younger players at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. For this year, the KBO went with 21 players under 25, plus three "wild card" players in the 25-29 age bracket. Kim, 22, didn't make the 2023 Asian Game

Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-KBO MVP Kim Do-yeong headlines Asian Games baseball roster
Sports

Where does Korea sit in 2026 FIFA World Cup kit design rankings?

On June 10, U.S. sports outlet ESPN published an article titled "Which Teams Have the Best Kits at the 2026 World Cup?" It ranked the kits for the 48 nations competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Uruguay taking the top spot for the tournament's best design. Japan's second-place finish and Curacao's fourth-place ranking have drawn particular attention, while Korea's away kit ranked 21st and its home kit 35th. According to ESPN, away kits dominated this year's rankings. The outlet argued that home kits are often constrained by traditional national colors and established design expectations, whereas away kits allow designers greater creative freedom. Indeed, the top four positions were all occupied by away kits. The No. 1 spot went to Uruguay's dark blue away kit, produced by Nike. ESPN praised the design for evoking the armor of indigenous warriors while visually expressing the pride and heritage of the 1930 World Cup champions. Japan's away kit, designed by Adidas, ranked second. The white base features 12 stripes, 11 representing the players on the field, and the central 12th stripe

Jun 11, 2026By Hankookilbo
Where does Korea sit in 2026 FIFA World Cup kit design rankings?
Sports

New Twins pitcher Rios eager to build on strong KBO debut

When the new LG Twins pitcher Yacksel Rios unleashed a fastball for his very first pitch in South Korea on Wednesday, it elicited oohs and aahs from the crowd. And as the number "158" flashed on the scoreboard at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, some 20,000 fans erupted in loud cheers typically reserved for a big strikeout or a key hit. The Puerto Rican right-hander touched 158 kilometers per hour (kph) two more times, and tossed four more pitches at 157 kph. He averaged 156.3 kph with his four-seamers, already the highest mark in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) by a pitcher who has thrown at least one inning. That kind of velocity has been par for the course during his major league and minor league career in the United States. But the reception he got from the Twins faithful was a different story. "It was an incredible game," Rios said through an interpreter, after completing a scoreless inning in relief to earn his first KBO hold in an 8-6 win over the Landers. "I heard the fans' cheers after every pitch, not just the first one. It was an awesome feeling. I have more energy lef

Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
New Twins pitcher Rios eager to build on strong KBO debut
Sports

Korean defender Kim Tae-hyeon sidelined with ankle injury

Korean defender Kim Tae-hyeon hit the sidelines with an ankle injury Wednesday, the day before the country's first Group A match of the FIFA World Cup. A national team official told reporters Kim hurt his ankle during a training session Tuesday at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, and may miss the group stage. Korea will begin their tournament against Czechia on Thursday at Estadio Guadalajara. Their next match will be at the same venue against Mexico on June 18, and they will close out the group play against South Africa on June 24 in Monterrey, also in Mexico. Kim skipped Wednesday's session at Chivas Verde Valle and did some individual workout indoors instead. Kim, 25, is regarded as a backup at the center back position and the team official said Korea will not select a replacement for the injured player. "We have enough players who can play center back, like Lee Gi-hyuk and Cho Wi-je," the official said, listing two names that will likely get the start alongside veteran Kim Min-jae against Czechia. "Kim Tae-hyeon will continue to rehab his injury and we plan to use him

Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
Korean defender Kim Tae-hyeon sidelined with ankle injury
Sports

New Landers pitcher Hatch set to take 'baby steps' in KBO

Korea will be the fourth country for American pitcher Thomas Hatch to play in, as the right-hander previously plied his trade in the United States, Canada and Japan. Along the way, the new starting pitcher for the SSG Landers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has learned a valuable lesson that he tries to apply to his life on and off the field. "Honestly, through the years, I've learned that just going day to day is the best, not trying to look so far into the future," Hatch told Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, minutes after throwing his first bullpen session with his new team. "It's easier to handle a tough game like this if you just focus on the day at hand. Today, I was able to throw a good bullpen and then a few days down the road, it'll be to hopefully lead the team to a victory out on the mound. So I think (if you take) baby steps, big picture things will fall in place." The Landers announced their signing of Hatch, 31, on Saturday and he is already traveling with the club while awaiting his work visa. He is replacing Mitch White, his fo

Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
New Landers pitcher Hatch set to take 'baby steps' in KBO
Sports

Lee Jung-hoo stretches MLB-best hitting streak to 18 games in dramatic San Francisco win

With yet another multihit performance, Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants has extended his hitting streak to 18 games. It's the longest active hitting streak in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lee went 2-for-4 with a walk and a steal while scoring twice as the Giants walked off the Washington Nationals 11-10 at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wednesday (local time). It was Lee's sixth multihit game of June and ninth during his streak. Over his past 18 games, Lee is batting .500 (36-for-72) and has raised his average from .265 to .338, the second-best mark in MLB behind Otto Lopez of the Miami Marlins, who was scheduled to play an evening game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In Wednesday's game, Lee struck out swinging against starter Foster Griffin in the bottom of the second. It was just the third strikeout for Lee in 69 at-bats during his hitting streak. Lee grounded out in the fourth but kept his streak alive in the sixth with a single to right field off Griffin. Then in the eighth, Lee drew a walk against reliever Paxton Schultz -- his first walk of the streak in his 74th plate ap

Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
Lee Jung-hoo stretches MLB-best hitting streak to 18 games in dramatic San Francisco win
Sports

Son Heung-min ready to 'give everything and more' in every match

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — With Korea about to embark on their journey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, captain Son Heung-min said Wednesday he and his teammates will be ready to give their everything and more in all the matches. Son will lead Korea against Czechia in the teams' first Group A match at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, at 8 p.m. Thursday (local time), or 11 a.m. Friday (Korean time). "The guys are so fired up for this match, and I actually have to calm them down," Son said at the prematch presser at the match venue. "I hope our hard work will bear fruit, and I think we absolutely deserve it. The vibe is tremendous, and I can feel it from the eyes of my teammates. Every World Cup match is so important that we'd be willing to stake our lives on it. Tomorrow, we will give everything we've got and more." In the twilight of his career at 33, Son is at his fourth and possibly final World Cup, having evolved into a transcendent superstar and a national icon. He was one of the team's few bright spots in 2014, netting his first career World Cup goal at 21 as Korea took a quick

Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
Son Heung-min ready to 'give everything and more' in every match
Sports

Twins manager to thrust new pitcher Rios into key bullpen role

The LG Twins replaced their struggling starter Yonny Chirinos with a new pitcher, Yacksel Rios, last week, but manager Youm Kyoung-youb plans to put the Puerto Rican hurler in the bullpen rather than the starting rotation. For one, Rios barely has starting experience in the upper minors or in the majors. Also, the Twins could use a hard-throwing reliever in a bullpen that mostly has soft tossers who rely on guile. Rios was added to the roster before Wednesday's game against the SSG Landers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, and Youm said the new pitcher will be ready to go right away. "He looked good," Youm said when asked about Rios' recent bullpen sessions in his pregame media availability. "We will use him in high-leverage situations. He will also be the first guy out of the bullpen to eat up innings when our starter gets knocked around early." Otherwise, Rios will be the setup man in front of starter-turned-closer Son Ju-young, Youm added. "Those two will be the important pieces for our bullpen going forward," the manager added. "Rios in particular will be a core member of the bullp

Jun 10, 2026By Yonhap
Twins manager to thrust new pitcher Rios into key bullpen role
Sports

Lee Jung-hoo's hitting streak reaches 17 games in San Francisco's loss

Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants is now the owner of the longest hitting streak by a South Korean player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. Lee went 2-for-5 with two RBIs to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, though the Giants still lost to the Washington Nationals 6-3 at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tuesday (local time). With his fifth multihit effort of June, Lee broke a tie with Choo Shin-soo and Kim Ha-seong for the longest hitting streak by a Korean batter. Choo had a 16-game run while with the Cincinnati Reds in 2013. Kim, currently playing for the Atlanta Braves, also had a 16-game streak in 2023 for the San Diego Padres. Lee grounded out in the bottom of the second inning before hitting a single in the bottom third to push his streak. Then in the bottom fifth, Lee smacked a double down the first base line off reliever Brad Lord to cash in two runs, cutting the Giants' deficit to 3-2. Lee hit groundouts in his next two at-bats in the seventh and the ninth inning. Lee is now batting .335 for the season, the second-best mark in MLB behind only Otto Lopez of the Miam

Jun 10, 2026By Yonhap
Lee Jung-hoo's hitting streak reaches 17 games in San Francisco's loss
Sports

Korea train behind closed doors in prep for World Cup opener

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — With their first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, Korea trained behind closed doors at their base camp in Mexico on Tuesday. The Korea Football Association (KFA) also didn't make any player available for media interviews, as the Taegeuk Warriors tried to work on their game without outside distractions. A KFA official said head coach Hong Myung-bo ran a 90-minute session at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, with a focus on set pieces, as well as attacking and defending tactics. The training facility was heavily guarded by armed military personnel and police officers. In the days leading up to the World Cup, teams are typically afforded one day to train behind closed doors. On other days, teams may choose to open up the first 15 minutes of their sessions with some players speaking with media before or after their workouts. Korea will open their Group A play against Czechia at 8 p.m. Thursday (local time), or 11 a.m. Friday (Korean time), at Estadio Guadalajara. The eve of the match will include the official prematch press conference

Jun 10, 2026By Yonhap
Korea train behind closed doors in prep for World Cup opener
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