Ulsan’s Lee Dong-gyeong seals Moreno’s debut win
Ulsan HD midfielder Lee Dong-gyeong scored the clinching goal as Korea beat Ecuador 3-0 in a friendly at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 24th, giving head coach Robert Moreno a winning debut. Korea went ahead through Oh Hyeon-gyu’s deflected shot in the 54th minute and Son Heung-min’s direct right-footed free kick in the 58th. Lee, who came on in the 84th minute, then finished with his left foot in the 86th minute from a pass by Daejeon Hana Citizen’s Kim Bong-su. K League 1 players including FC Seoul’s Jeong Seung-won and Ulsan’s Jo Hyeon-taek were in the starting lineup, and Jeonbuk Hyundai’s Jo Wi-je also came off the bench. Korea face Uruguay in a second friendly on the 28th, while K League 1 resumes after the break.
Source: Star News
Gangwon host Chuseok festival vs Incheon on the 27th
Gangwon FC will stage their rescheduled K League 1 Round 22 home match against Incheon United at 7 p.m. on the 27th at Gangneung Hi One Arena under a Chuseok harvest-festival theme. Fans who come in hanbok or other traditional dress can join a halftime card draw for stays at High1 Condo and Skybay Hotel Gyeongpo, while outside the stadium there will be traditional games such as top spinning, jegichagi, tuho and ddakji, plus a player autograph session. Inside, fans can try Gangneung potato snacks, coffee and desserts from local cafés, makgeolli from a local brewery and dishes from six food trucks. The team store opens at 5 p.m., and tickets are available through NOL.
Source: Star News
Gwangju FC move to acting CEO setup
K League 1 side Gwangju FC have been run under an acting CEO, Choi Soo-yong, president of the Gwangju Football Association, since the 21st. According to News1, CEO Noh Dong-il, who had led the club since 2022, offered his resignation, taking responsibility for the team’s record-long winless run in K League 1. Choi coached Geumho High School, Gwangju FC’s U-18 team, for 30 years from 1995 to 2025, building it into one of Korea’s top youth sides. The arrangement will continue until a new CEO is appointed, and the club is also openly recruiting for its vacant head of management. On the field, Gwangju earned a point with a 2-2 draw at Jeonbuk in Round 30 on the 20th, thanks to Aidale’s stoppage-time equalizer.
Source: News1
K League referees set up self-reporting channel
The Korea Professional Football Referees Association announced on the 18th that it will build a self-reporting and whistleblowing system to strengthen the fairness and transparency of professional refereeing and win back fans’ trust. Director Park Eun-jeong, a lawyer, will oversee the project, with an outside law firm, Young Law Firm, running the intake desk, fact-finding and legal review. Reports will cover three areas: self-reporting of rule violations, reports of undue demands or pressure, and reports of improper interference in referee assignments, evaluations or officiating decisions. “For the K League to be loved, the belief that decisions on the pitch are fair matters more than anything,” Park said. The association will announce details once the standards and dedicated channel are finalized.
Source: Star News