Top China gamers to play on SK team

SK Telecom Co., the nation’s largest mobile phone operator, said yesterday that it has signed two top-ranking players of the online game StarCraft from China. The two players, Luo Xian, 20, and Sha Junchun, 21, will play for the T1 squad, a pro-gaming team owned by SK Telecom. It will be the first time foreign players have played in the domestic pro league. According to SK Telecom, the two players will receive an annual salary of 7 million won ($6,850) to 15 million won, about the same amount as Korean rookie gamers get. Lim Yo-hwan, Korea’s best known StarCraft player, earns about 200 million won a year. “By signing the two players, we aim to spread the notion of e-sports among the Chinese population and broaden our business base there,” an official from SK Telecom said. Mr. Sha has been playing on the Beijing Team, a pro game league in China. Having participated in the World Cyber Games for three years in a row, he is known to have a wide fan base in his country. Mr. Luo beat Lim Yo-hwan in a Korea versus China game competition held in Beijing last month. “I have always dreamed of living and playing games with Korean pro gamers. I would like to become the best gamer in Korea just as I was in China,” he said. Ju Hun, director of the T1 game league, said Chinese gamers are fast catching up with their Korean counterparts. He added that the two new players have tremendous potential, and will be even stronger after undergoing training with their new team. by Chang Chung-hoon