WK League News

Even with the WK League on break, there’s plenty to catch up on from the summer transfer window and international tournaments.

Suwon FC sign Rena Okutsu

Suwon FC this week announced the signing of Japanese defender Rena Okutsu from WE League side RB Omiya Ardija Women. 28-year-old Okutsu made her league debut in 2016, playing for Nittadai SMG Yokohama in the Nadeshiko League for three years before a brief stint at JEF United Chiba. In 2021, with the foundation of the fully professional WE League, she moved to AC Nagano Parceiro where she was initially a mainstay of the defensive lineup, gradually spending more time on the bench. Okutsu spent the 2024-25 season at RB Omiya Ardija, where her contract expired in May. It’s no surprise that Suwon FC are strengthening their squad this summer — the defending champions are currently languishing in sixth place in the league, but there’s still time for a 2025 Suwon redemption arc if the club can find success in their AFC Women’s Champions League campaign, which starts in October. Surely we can expect to see more business in this window from Suwon FC, who could really use some more options up front.

More WK League transfer news:
Choe Yuri returns to Incheon Hyundai
Choi Dakyung and Lee Jeongmin leave Mungyeong Sangmu
Gyeongju KHNP sign Lee Youngju and Emi Nakajima

Jeong Dabin signs with Norway’s Stabæk Fotball

Korea University and national team forward Jeong Dabin has signed her first professional contract with Toppserien club Stabæk Fotball, becoming the second Korean woman to play professionally in Norway. She follows in the footsteps of Jeon Yukyeong, who joined second division side FK Molde earlier this year. 19-year-old Jeong reportedly received offers from a number of clubs in Europe and the U.S.A. before settling on Stabæk Fotball. The club highlighted Jeong’s work ethic and goalscoring ability as they announced the signing, adding a welcome message in Korean (as well as some well-intentioned but poorly researched information about the WK League). She is due to travel to Norway to join her new teammates in late July.

EAFF E-1 Championship: Korea hold China to draw in opening game, Jeon Yukyeong out with injury

The EAFF E-1 Championship began this week, with both men’s and women’s tournaments taking place in Korea. South Korea’s women’s team faced China in their first match of the competition at Suwon World Cup Stadium on Wednesday. After the hosts conceded early, Jang Selgi equalised in first half stoppage time, thinking fast and taking advantage of a second ball opportunity to catch China’s defence off guard. After China scored again midway through the second half, Korea’s women refused to back down, fighting until the end to create attacking opportunities. Their resilience paid off as Ji Soyun, Korea’s all-time leading goalscorer, sent a screamer from outside the box into the back of the net in added time. Korea’s next match in the competition is on Sunday evening, when they will play against tough opponent Japan. Japan won their own opening match in style, beating Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) 4-0. With Korea’s women suffering a goal drought in recent friendly matches, hopefully their result against China will give a boost to morale and confidence as they head into Sunday’s difficult fixture. Unfortunately, the team will be without forward Jeon Yukyeong for their remaining matches. Jeon was stretchered off the pitch on Wednesday with a torn muscle following a collision with the Chinese goalkeeper, becoming the fourth player to withdraw from the squad for this tournament due to injury. In accordance with EAFF rules, manager Shin Sangwoo is unable to call up a replacement for Jeon as the competition is already underway.

South Korea U16 girls’ goal frenzy at Lion City Cup in Singapore

Korea’s U16 girls’ team have been making a splash this week at the Lion City Cup in Singapore. The competition has existed for boys since 1977 but this year is the first time a girls’ tournament has also taken place. Korea took on hosts Singapore in their opening match and beat them 9-0 with goals from six different players, including a hat-trick from Cho An, fresh from victory in the U15 division of this year’s Queen’s Cup with Hyundai Chungeun Middle School. They followed this performance up with another decisive victory, thrashing Cambodia 12-0 in their second game. Tournaments like this one do tend to highlight the vast development gap between countries’ youth football programmes, but the establishment of the girls’ competition at the Lion City Cup is a positive step for girls’ and women’s football in the region. Korea’s head coach Kim Eunjung praised the resilience of her teams’ opponents and has been using the tournament to give playing opportunities to all the players in her squad. Korea’s final match of the tournament takes place today (12th July) at 5pm local time (6pm KST). They face Hong Kong, and a draw will be enough to see them lift the trophy.

North Korea qualify for 2026 Women’s Asian Cup

North Korea have qualified for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup after finishing top of their group in the preliminary stage of the competition. With emphatic wins over Palestine, Tajikistan, and Malaysia, winning 10-0, 10-0, and 6-0 respectively, the DPRK side earned their ticket to the tournament, which is set to take place in Australia next March. South Korea automatically qualified for the 2026 competition after finishing as runners-up in 2022.