WK League News

Sejong Sportstoto’s Jung Seolbin has announced her retirement from football at age 35. In an Instagram post published on Friday, the veteran striker thanked colleagues, fans and all who have supported her since she began her footballing journey 26 years ago. During her career, Jung has made over 250 WK League appearances, lifted the WK League trophy eleven times, and represented South Korea on over 80 occasions.

Previously known as Jung Hyein, as a young child she initially followed in the footsteps of her mother, a track and field athlete, before making the switch to football while in the fifth grade of elementary school. After coming through the academy system as an accomplished youth player , Jung was Incheon Hyundai Red Angels’ first pick from among the rookie players at the 2010 WK League draft.

During her fourteen seasons at Incheon, Jung became a core squad member, known for her work rate and shooting ability, particularly her powerful knuckleball, a technique she laboriously studied by watching videos of Cristiano Ronaldo. She was responsible for a number of crucial goals that helped the Red Angels achieve their eleven consecutive WK League titles from 2013 to 2023, perhaps most memorably in the 2018 WK League Championship Final against Gyeongju KHNP, a match that holds legendary status among long-time WK League followers.

Gyeongju were 3-0 up after the first leg, held at their home ground, and Incheon only got one back on them in the first half of the second leg. When Gyeongju conceded a penalty in the second half, it was Jung Seolbin who took it, and scored, but Incheon were still trailing as the clock reached 90 minutes. In the fifth minute of extra time, Incheon were awarded another penalty. Jung stepped up again, and scored again, sending the match into added extra time.

The Red Angels’ Thais Guedes scored to give them the advantage, but with just seconds left to play, another penalty was awarded, this time to Gyeongju. Asuna Tanaka sent the ball into the back of the net, leaving the title to be decided by a penalty shootout. Jung was the first taker for Incheon, scoring yet again, and the team eventually won the shootout 3-1 to lift their sixth WK League trophy.

As a Red Angel, Jung also won four titles at the National Women’s Football Championship and four National Sports Festival gold medals. She was one of the league’s top scorers in 2023, her 10 goals coming second only to Moon Mira’s 12. Some fans were surprised when Jung left Incheon to join Sejong Sportstoto in 2024, with many assuming that she would remain a one club woman until retirement. Even in her final two years in the division, Jung continued to show the strength and stamina that have made her a living legend of the WK League.

Jung Seolbin has also enjoyed a long and successful international career, making 84 A match appearances and scoring 22 goals for South Korea. Having received her first senior cap in 2006 at the Peace Cup, Jung scored her first international goal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She made her final appearance for Korea at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

Announcing her retirement at the end of the 2025 WK League season, Jung wrote “this really feels real now I’m posting it like this”. She promised to keep supporting the development of women’s football, and signed off, in English: “Thank you and Good luck”.