Home > Sports > Football

Daejeon Hana Citizen sign Park Kyu-hyun from SG Dynamo Dresden

Published: 17 Dec. 2024, 11:17 Updated: 17 Dec. 2024, 17:28

PAIK JI-HWAN
[email protected]

Korea's Park Kyu-hyun, right, vies for the ball during the Hangzhou Asian Games quarterfinal against China in Hangzhou, China on Oct. 1, 2023. [YONHAP]

Daejeon Hana Citizen has signed defender Park Kyu-hyun from German third-tier team SG Dynamo Dresden for an undisclosed fee, the K League 1 club said Monday.

“I am so thankful that the manager and club chose me,” Park said in a statement shared on Daejeon’s official Instagram account. “My personal goal is to qualify for the AFC Champions League and win the K League. It is a club capable of achieving that and has enough potential to do so.”

Park, 23, joins Daejeon after spending several years in Germany's second and third divisions. He began his professional career in Korea with Ulsan Hyundai, now Ulsan HD, in 2019 before joining SV Werder Bremen’s U-19 team on loan that same year. He made a permanent move to Bremen in 2021.

However, after not playing any matches during the 2021-22 season, he joined third-tier team Dresden on loan in 2022. Park saw significant playing time in the 2022-23 season, making 17 appearances, and he made a permanent transfer to Dresden in 2023. He became a regular in the squad, appearing in 21 matches during the 2023-24 season.

Park has also represented Korea at various levels, including the U-23 and senior teams. He was part of the U-23 squad at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, where he won a gold medal and earned a military service exemption.

At the senior level, Park made two appearances in friendlies against Peru and El Salvador in June 2023 under then-manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

Park’s transfer to Daejeon comes ahead of the 2025 K League 1 season, which kicks off in February next year. He reunites with manager Hwang Sun-hong, who led the U-23 team to victory at the Asian Games last year.

Daejeon had a challenging 2024 season, finishing in eighth place on the 12-team table.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]