Sports Briefs

FOOTBALL

Kwak Tae-hwi set to rejoin FC Seoul after nine years

K-League Classic’s FC Seoul will bring veteran national team defender Kwak Tae-hwi to its squad, it announced on Thursday.

Kwak, who has played for Al-Hilal of Saudi Professional League since 2013, decided to join the Seoul-based team nine years after he left it to play in various other teams, including Kyoto Sanga of Japan and Ulsan Hyundai FC of the K-League.

According to FC Seoul, Kwak will undergo a mandatory physical before officially signing with the team. His contract expires in 2018.

“Kwan decided to join Seoul to spend the rest of his career for the improvement of the K-League and to return Korean fans’ support for him in the past,” FC Seoul said in its announcement.

Kwak made his pro debut with FC Seoul in 2005. He played in 163 K-League games and recorded 17 goals and six assists, making a reputation for himself as a defender who scores.

He’s also experienced on the international stage, playing for the national team squad as the starting defender during the 2014 World Cup.

“We believe his experience will contribute to the stabilization of our defensive line,” announced FC Seoul. “We are also positive that he will provide leadership and support for younger players in the team.”

VOLLEYBALL

Coach Park to enter International Hall of Fame

Korean volleyball coach Park Man-bok is to be inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

Park oversaw Peru’s women’s national volleyball team starting from 1974 and led the Peruvian squad to various international competitions.

Under his watch, the Peruvian women’s team won various accolades on the international stage including a silver at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

The team also won a silver medal at the 1982 International Volleyball Federation Volleyball World Championship in Peru.

The International Volleyball Hall of Fame will host this year’s induction ceremony for Park and four other inductees on October 22 in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

By Choi Hyung-jo