Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Lee Won-suk leaves the Bears and joins the Lions

Lee Won-suk, a free agent from the Doosan Bears, has landed a free agent deal with the Samsung Lions.

The Lions announced on Monday that Lee has signed a four-year contract worth 2.7 billion won ($2.29 million) with 300 million as an annual base salary and 1.5 billion won as a signing bonus.

This is the first time in 12 years that the Lions have signed an FA from another team.

Lee, a 30-year-old infielder, joined the Korea Baseball Organization in 2005, making his debut with the Lotte Giants. After spending four seasons with the Giants, Lee transferred to the Bears in 2009 and has been a Bear since. He became a free agent in 2014 after the season but left the league to serve in the military. After Lee was discharged in September, he played in seven games and batted .316 with two home runs and seven runs batted in.

“We highly valued his ability to cover any position infield,” the Lions said in its report. “We also thought he would help make the team more competitive.”

“I felt that the Lions really needed me,” Lee said. “I felt their sincerity. I’ll do my best for them.”

Lee is the third FA to sign a deal among 15 in the KBO this year.

FIGURE SKATING

Young finishes second in international competition

You Young, a Korean figure skater, finished second in the advanced novice girls division of the 2016 InterClub Tallinn Trophy.

During the competition on Monday, which took place in Tallinn, Estonia, You placed first in free skating with 90.40 points and third in the short program with 36.49 points, wrapping up the event with an aggregate score of 126.89. Russia’s Alena Kanysheva topped the competition with a combined score of 134.18.

You is a 12-year-old rising star who won the 2016 Korean national championship in January to become the youngest skater to win the competition. She was 11 at the time. Kim Yuna, the Korean figure skating icon, previously won the championship at the age of 12.

In August, Yoo won the novice division of the 2016 Asian Open Trophy.

FOOTBALL

Kim Do-hoon to become Ulsan Hyundai manager

Kim Do-hoon, former skipper of Incheon United FC, will assume the managerial post of Ulsan Hyundai FC of the K-League Classic.

Ulsan announced on Monday that Kim will take the helm of Ulsan, which has been vacant since Yoon Jong-hwan’s contract with the team was not extended after the season.

Although Ulsan had finished the season this year at fourth, Yoon’s passive style of play dissatisfied the team and the club officials. Ulsan hopes Kim’s presence will motivate the players. “He showed relentless leadership at Incheon,” said Ulsan in its statement.

By Choi Hyung-jo