WK League News

Some of the latest stories from across Korean women’s football.

Kim Youngkwang and Jeon Ga-eul appointed KWFF ambassadors

The Korea Women’s Football Federation last week announced the appointment of Kim Youngkwang and Jeon Ga-eul as official KWFF ambassadors, as the organisation continues its restructuring project with the aim of stimulating growth in Korean women’s football.

Fan favourite Kim’s club career as a goalkeeper spanned over twenty years, starting out at Ulsan Hyundai in 2002. He also made seventeen appearances for South Korea between 2004 and 2012. Since retiring last year, Kim has featured in various entertainment programmes and started his own YouTube channel, I Am Glory Kim, where he has over 7 million subscribers.

Jeon began her professional footballing career in 2009, playing for Suwon FMC in the first season of the WK League. She went on to become the first South Korean footballer to appear in the U.S.A.’s National Women’s Soccer League and Australia’s W-League, later playing in England’s WSL. After returning to the WK League to finish her career with Sejong Sportstoto, Jeon retired from football after the 2023 season having clocked up over 100 senior international caps along the way. Like Kim, she is also active online, publishing videos on her YouTube channel, Super Sonic Jeon Ga-eul.

According to the KWFF, as ambassadors Kim and Jeon will represent the organisation at media events and on social media, as well as take part in youth education and mentoring projects, serving as role models who will support “a new era of women’s football”.

Yeo Minji signs with JEF United Chiba

Former Gyeongju KHNP captain Yeo Minji has completed a move to Japanese top-flight club JEF United Chiba. Following her departure from KHNP at the end of last season, the veteran striker was linked with one club Norway, with rumours also suggesting a potential move to Canada before her transfer to the WE League side was confirmed this week. 32-year-old Yeo’s WK League career begin at Gumi Sportstoto, and she also had a spell at Suwon before transferring to Gyeongju in 2021. She made her first senior appearance for South Korea in 2011, earning 53 international caps and scoring fifteen times for her country. The WE League is currently on break, with the 2025/26 season beginning in early September, so there will be another few weeks’ wait before the next chapter in Yeo Minji’s footballing career begins.

Queen’s Cup underway in Gyeongnam

The annual Queen’s National Women’s Football Championship, also known as the Queen’s Cup, is currently underway in Gyeongnam’s Hapcheon county. With youth teams from across the country participating, this tournament is one of the major events of the Korean women’s football calendar. Matches are taking place across four age categories every evening until Friday 27th June. Gangwon Gangneung FC U18 were sadly forced to withdraw from the High School division after injuries in their opening game left their squad too small to go on — their remaining group stage matches are considered forfeited and will not be taking place as scheduled.

Korea squads for EAFF E-1 Championship to be announced Monday

Both the women’s and men’s squads which will represent South Korea at the upcoming EAFF E-1 Championship will be announced this Monday, 23rd June, according to the KFA. Korea is hosting the final round of the tournament, with matches set to take place from 7th – 16th July. Women’s games will be held at Suwon World Cup Stadium and Hwaseong Stadium. Manager Shin Sangwoo has used recent friendlies as an opportunity to try out different formations and tactics incorporating a number of rookie players. He will be hoping this experimentation will pay off as Korea’s women seek to claim their second tournament victory of the year, having lifted the trophy at the Pink Ladies Cup, hosted by the U.A.E. in February.

Teams preparing for 2025 K League K-Win women’s futsal tournament

Teams across the country are preparing for the 2025 K League K-Win national women’s futsal tournament, which is scheduled to take place in September. The tournament, which was first held in 2010, sees amateur women’s futsal teams compete, supported in their preparations by the professional men’s football clubs of K League 1 and 2. Some clubs, such as Pohang Steelers, have ongoing links with local futsal teams who are already training, while others, including Incheon United, Gangwon FC and Ansan Greeners have recently posted notices inviting existing teams to apply to represent them at this year’s competition.

Other clubs operate a qualifying competition to find their representative team. Last week in Jeju, over 200 women participated in the SK Magic Let’s Water Wondercup futsal tournament. Twelve outstanding players from the tournament will be selected to form the Jeju SK women’s futsal team. Similarly, Daejeon Hana Citizen hosted the Hana Queen’s Cup back in May, with the winning team earning the right to represent Daejeon at the K-Win Cup.