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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, called "derbies," 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 riva

    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

Korea looking to take care of business in opener vs. Czechia

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — Korean players and coaches have long talked about the importance of winning the first match at this year's FIFA World Cup, stressing how taking care of business from the get-go will set the tone for the rest of the way. That important first match is now here, and it's now time for the Taegeuk Warriors to walk the walk. Korea and Czechia will begin their Group A play at Estadio Guadalajara at 8 p.m. Thursday (local time), or 11 a.m. Friday (Korean time). Korea will be playing in their 11th consecutive World Cup, while Czechia's previous World Cup appearance came in 2006. The two countries last met in a friendly in June 2016 — so long ago that only two Korean players from that day, Son Heung-min and Lee Jae-sung, are still with the national team. For the Czechs, Vladimir Darida is the only returnee from 10 years ago. With the tournament having been expanded from 32 to 48 nations, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups and the eight best third-place nations will progress to the knockout stage of 32. The path to the knockout phase has widened and collecting three p

Jun 10, 2026By Yonhap
Korea looking to take care of business in opener vs. Czechia
Sports

Despite doubts, Korea hoping for good start

With all that is going on these days, most of the 48 nations competing at the World Cup could do with some good news. On Friday at lunchtime, Korea’s soccer team has the chance to help millions of meals back home go down smoothly. The Taegeuk Warriors take on the Czech Republic in Group A, which also contains co-host Mexico and South Africa. A win would put coach Hong Myung-bo and his men in sight of the knockout stages for only the fourth time, after reaching it in 2002, 2010 and 2022. Defeat — well, it is best not to think about that. Preparations seem to have been as good as they could be. The team arrived in the United States three weeks ago before moving to Mexico. Guadalajara sits at around 1,600 meters above sea level, and the thinner air with its relative lack of oxygen can be an issue for players, especially late in games as they start to tire. Korea has been training at that height for three weeks, and it should no longer be a problem. At No. 25, Korea is ranked 16 places above their opponent. The Czechs actually lost to the Faroe Islands in qualification, but squeezed in

Jun 9, 2026By John Duerden
Despite doubts, Korea hoping for good start
Sports

SF Giants' Lee Jung-hoo extends MLB-best hitting streak to 16 games with four-hit effort

It was just another day at the office for Lee Jung-hoo, as he collected four knocks to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. The Korean outfielder for the San Francisco Giants went 4-for-5 and scored twice, though the Giants blew a late lead and lost to the Washington Nationals 4-3 at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Monday (local time). Lee's 16-game run is the longest active hitting streak in Major League Baseball (MLB). This was the fifth game this season in which Lee had at least four hits, and four of those games have come during the ongoing streak. Lee pushed his batting average from .323 to .333, the second-best mark in MLB. Lee is hitting .508 (32-for-63) during his streak. Lee lined out to left fielder Daylen Lile in the bottom of the first against Richard Lovelady. Then facing new pitcher Miles Mikolas in the fourth, Lee singled to right field to keep his streak going. With another pitcher, Mitchell Parker, on the hill in the sixth, Lee hit a single to center field and later scored on a Matt Chapman single to tie the game at 1-1. Leading off the bottom of the eighth, Lee hit a dri

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
SF Giants' Lee Jung-hoo extends MLB-best hitting streak to 16 games with four-hit effort
Sports

Player-turned-analyst predicts runner-up finish for Korean in group stage

Now working as a commentator on television, former FIFA World Cup hero Lee Young-pyo predicted Monday that Korea will finish second in their group at this year's tournament. Korea will be up against Czechia, South Africa and Mexico, one of three co-host countries, in Group A. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will advance to the knockout stage, joined by the eight best third-place teams. "Mexico will likely win Group A, considering their recent performance and home advantage," Lee said during his visit to Korea's training facility near Guadalajara. "And it's highly likely that Korea will finish second. And that would be a very good start." Lee, one of the heroes of Korea's run to the semifinals at the 2002 tournament, said beating Czechia in the first match Thursday will put the Taegeuk Warriors on the right track. "Grabbing three points in the first match will be crucial for the team's fate," Lee said. "If the players perform the way they are capable of, then they should be able to win. If they don't win the first match, then the pressure will start mounting in the second mat

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
Player-turned-analyst predicts runner-up finish for Korean in group stage
Sports

Hwang Hee-chan hoping to create more memorable moments in Mexico

ZAPOPAN, Mexico — By scoring the last-gasp goal that helped send South Korea into the knockouts at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Hwang Hee-chan etched himself into the national sports lore. Back for his third straight World Cup this summer in Mexico, the midfielder wants to create even more memorable moments. "Obviously, if we can have another play like that, it will be great for myself and for our team," Hwang said before a training session at Chivas Verde Valle in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, on Monday -- three days before South Korea's first Group A match against Czechia. "I am working hard for a moment like that. I will try to show one in every match." Hwang's stoppage-time goal, assisted by Son Heung-min in a counter break, helped South Korea beat Portugal 2-1 in their final Group H match in 2022. The result, combined with Uruguay's 2-0 win over Ghana in a match that ended a few minutes later, lifted South Korea into the round of 16. Even with the win over Portugal, South Korea would have been eliminated had Ghana won their finale. It was just the second time that South Korea re

Jun 9, 2026By Yonhap
Hwang Hee-chan hoping to create more memorable moments in Mexico
Sports

From saunas to high altitudes: How Korea is preparing for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America opening later this week, Korea's national football team, led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, has completed a specialized adaptation program designed to prepare players for the high altitude and hot, humid conditions awaiting them in Guadalajara, Mexico. The team held a pre-tournament training camp near Salt Lake City, Utah, from May 18 for approximately two weeks. Salt Lake City sits at an elevation of about 1,460 meters above sea level, similar to Guadalajara, where Korea will play its first two group stage matches at an elevation of 1,571 meters. At high altitudes, lower air density can reduce the amount of oxygen available to the body. A sudden move to higher elevations may cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea and decreased athletic performance. To help players adapt, the coaching staff regularly monitored oxygen saturation levels and adjusted individual training loads based on the data. Another key element of the team's preparation was heat acclimation training. After workouts, play

Jun 9, 2026By Kormedi.com
From saunas to high altitudes: How Korea is preparing for 2026 FIFA World Cup
Sports

Lee Jung-hoo's hitting streak reaches 15 games in San Francisco win

San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo has extended his hitting streak to a new career-high 15 games. Lee batted 1-for-4 with an RBI as the Giants edged out the Chicago Cubs 2-1 at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Sunday (local time). Lee's batting average for the season is now at .323, the fourth-best mark in Major League Baseball (MLB). During his 15-game run, the longest active hitting streak in MLB, Lee is hitting .483 (28-for-58) with only two strikeouts. Lee wasted no time getting his streak going, as he delivered an RBI single to center field in the top of the first inning off starter Jameson Taillon. Taillon was forced to leave the game during the top of the second due to a left hamstring injury, and the Giants had nothing going against reliever Javier Assad, who fired 6 1/3 shutout innings in relief. Lee grounded out to second baseman Pedro Ramirez twice against Assad -- in the third inning and again in the sixth inning. Then facing new pitcher Daniel Palencia, Lee lined out to center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong in the top of the ninth in his final at-bat. The Giants scored the go

Jun 8, 2026By Yonhap
Lee Jung-hoo's hitting streak reaches 15 games in San Francisco win
Sports

Kim Si-woo reaches career-best No. 18 in world golf rankings

Kim Si-woo has reached his new career-best No. 18 in the men's world golf rankings on the strength of his latest top-10 finish on the PGA Tour. Kim moved up a spot to No. 18 in the latest rankings announced following the conclusion of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, on Sunday (local time). Kim shot a six-under 66 in the final round to finish tied for 10th at five-under 283. It was Kim's eighth top-10 finish of the year. Kim recorded five birdies, one eagle and one bogey in the final round. Kim has made the cut at all 16 tournaments he has played this year. The four-time tour winner is seeking his first victory since January 2023, and he has been knocking on the door in 2026, with two runner-up finishes and two third-place showings. Kim ended the 2025 season ranked 47th. Kim also went up from fifth to fourth in the FedEx Cup standings. He is the only player inside the top five without a win in 2026. In other categories, Kim is sixth in scoring average (70.063) and seventh in money ($6,575,361).

Jun 8, 2026By Yonhap
Kim Si-woo reaches career-best No. 18 in world golf rankings
Sports

Tigers face big week in KBO with games against rivals

With a so-so start to their season now behind them, the Kia Tigers are in for a big week with games against clubs trying to push their way into the top four. The Tigers are currently holding down the fourth spot in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) standings, with a record of 32-27-1 (wins-losses-ties). They were 17-20-1 after games on May 12, tied for sixth place. Since then, the Tigers have gone 15-7-0, the best record in the KBO in that stretch. They lead the Hanwha Eagles (30-27-1) by one game and these two rivals will clash for a three-game series starting Tuesday at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in the central city of Daejeon. The Eagles have won three straight games, the longest active winning streak. For the weekend series, the Tigers will return home to host the Doosan Bears (29-29-2) at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in the southern city of Gwangju. The Bears trail the Tigers by 2 1/2 games. The Tigers are following the lead of the 2024 MVP Kim Do-yeong, who is having a resurgent year after missing most of last season due to injuries. Kim launched four home runs last week, includ

Jun 8, 2026By Yonhap
Tigers face big week in KBO with games against rivals
Sports

2 Koreans come up short at LPGA major

Two Korean players have come up short at the oldest major championship in women's golf. Chun In-gee finished alone in fourth place at the 81st U.S. Women's Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, near Los Angeles, on Sunday (local time), at six-under 278, two behind the champion, Nelly Korda of the United States. Chun shot one-under 70 in the final round with four birdies and three bogeys. Chun's countrywoman, Kim Sei-young, finished one stroke back of Chun for fifth place. Kim began the final round tied for the lead with Korda, the world No. 1, at six-under but the Korean shot 72 on Sunday with four birdies and five bogeys. Chun was going for her fourth career major title and Kim was chasing her second. Charley Hull of England and Gaby Lopez of Mexico tied for second place at seven-under. Hull made an early run with three birdies over her first six holes while playing three groups ahead of Korda and Kim. Chun, playing in the penultimate pairing, also tried to hang around, with a chip-in birdie on the seventh taking her within a shot of the lead at seven-under. Hull surged to th

Jun 8, 2026By Yonhap
2 Koreans come up short at LPGA major
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