Latest news with #Daejeon
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Ex-Team USA Star Was Washout, Now Back On MLB Radar In South Korea
Attention Major League Baseball teams in need of pitching, which means all 30 of you: How would you like to add a former Team USA right-hander currently sporting a 9-0 record and 2.20 earned run average in Korea Baseball? That's 31-year-old Cody Ponce's record this year in 14 starts for the Hanwa Eagles in South Korea. It is literally a far, far cry from his 1-7 mark and 5.86 ERA in 20 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020-21. The difference is as vast as the straight-line distance of 6,882 miles between Pittsburgh and The Eagles' home in Daejeon, South Korea. The scouting report on the 6-foot-6, 255-pounder is basically the same as when he was the Milwaukee Brewers' second-round draft pick in 2015. He still has an impressive pitch mix featuring a four-seam fastball that touches 96 mph. He utilizes a low 90s cutter the most and throws a slider, curveball and changeup. That has enabled him to get 120 strikeouts in 90 innings, allowing only 57 hits and 20 walks in 14 starts this year. Naysayers point out the numbers are against competition inferior to MLB quality. No doubt. His current teammate Hyun Jin Ryu, who pitched 10 years in the Majors, believes Ponce's stuff can play at the highest level. He also doesn't want him to leave. That's why he told The Chosun Biz, "He is still a little lacking. He should stay with us longer. I hope he can stay for at least 7 years like me," indicating it was a joking wish. When Korean media asked Ponce about that statement, he joked back, "If I get more Ryu Hyun-jin jerseys and signatures, I will stay. 'Right now, I am focused only on one game, one game. I am not worried about what will happen next year. I am only focused on getting our team into the postseason.' The 38-year-old lefty probably could help an MLB team, especially a contender. He was quite good with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays from 2013 through 2023 despite twice missing significant time with injuries. He had a 78-49 record and 3.27 ERA overall. A year ago, however, he signed an eight-year, $14 million deal with Hanwa. He says he is quite content back home with club he started with at age 19 and compiled a 98-52 record. The Dodgers then paid the Eagles $25.7 million negotiate with him and signed Ryu for six-years and $36 million in December 2012. MLB clubs are aware that occasionally a pitcher who struggled in America found success in Korea, then returned and made an impact in MLB. Three recent examples are Ben Lively, Erick Fedde and Merrill Kelly. Lively had a combined 4-10 record and 4.80 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals in 26 games over 2017-19. He went to Korea for three seasons, then signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023 at age 31. The right-hander went 4-7 in 19 games with the Reds and signed as a free agent with Cleveland. Though currently on the injured list, Lively has thrived in the rotation, compiling a 15-12 record and 3.68 ERA in 38 starts for the Guardians. Fedde, a first-round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2014, had a 21-33 record and 5.41 ERA for them from 2017 until 2022. He became a one-year wonder in Korea, going 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA. The Chicago White Sox came calling. Yes, the same 2024 team that compiled the worst record in MLB since 1899. Fedde was their most reliable pitcher with a 7-4 record and 3.11 ERA in 21 starts. The Chisox figured they could get some young players that may eventually lead them out of the losing wilderness and so the 31-year-old Fedde went to the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-way trade that included the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chicago got minor-league prospects. The Cardinals got Fedde, who has helped solidify their rotation with a 3.62 ERA in 32 starts since. Merrill helped the Arizona Diamondbacks into the 2023 World Series. Before that, he pitched four seasons in the Tampa Bay Rays' farm system and four more in South Korea. Since joining the D-backs in 2019 at age 30, Merrill has a 59-46 record and 3.79 ERA in 153 starts. He's 6-2 with a 3.43 ERA this year. In four starts in the 2023 post-season, he had a 2-1 record and 2.25 ERA. That included Arizona's only win in the Series against the Texas Rangers. In Game 2, Merrill struck out nine without a walk and allowed three hits and one run over seven innings. Ponce is married to the sister of San Francisco 49ers football star George Kittles. She's his biggest fan and has posted many videos of them together. His best results until this year came at age 21 in 2015. In his final year of college, he had a 1.44 ERA in 13 games including 12 starts. That helped him get a $1.108 million signing bonus from the Brewers as the No. 55 pick overall. He was quite good in his first 14 games as a pro later that year: 2-1, 2.29 ERA, 9 walks and 40 strikeouts in 51 innings. He was traded to Pittsburgh midway through the 2019 season, reached Triple-A Indianapolis in the Pirates' farm system later that summer. That fall, he was Team USA's best pitcher with a 2.03 ERA in three starts in a tournament in Asia. He missed significant time in his next two years with forearm strains as a member of the big-league team. After going 0-6 with a 7.04 ERA in 2021 for the Pirates, he was released and went to Japan. He had one shining moment, pitching a no-hitter for the Nippon Ham Fighters on Aug. 27, 2022 – the first by an imported hurler in 16 years. In three seasons, however, he had only a 10-16 record and 4.54 ERA and admitted this year he was miserable. The losing had really gotten him down. Now, he says teammates and coaches have made him forget the past and focus on the future. He's throwing the same, but with better results. He says that when things get tough, he has a better mindset to handle it. "I don't think I can express how much honor and gratitude I have towards everybody in this organization,' he told the Yonhap News Agency. 'There's so much love and support and charisma on this team that it makes it fun to play on.' It seemed so easy when Ponce fanned a KBO record 18 on May 17, allowing two hits and one walk in a shutout win. The previous nine-inning mark of 17 was set by Ryu back in 2010. It made both heroes in the country that has a a great passion for baseball both before and since winning an Olympic gold medal in 2008. That got scouts' attention. So did his start on June 7, his first bad one of the year. He gave up 2 homers and 5 runs over 5 innings to the first-place LG Twins. Just when it looked as if he was invincible and his MLB-caliber stuff was looking like MLB consistency, Ponce turned in a clunker. How he responds in his next start could go a long way as to whether his long career road takes a turn back towards America or hits a stop sign in the Korea Baseball Organization.
Al Jazeera
31-05-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
South Korea's presidential favourite has plans for new ‘de facto' capital
Sejong, South Korea – By the standards of South Korea's teeming metropolises, Sejong is not much of a city. With a population of 400,000 people, Sejong, a planned city located about 100km (62 miles) south of Seoul, does not even crack the top 20 urban centres. But if South Korea's likely next president has his way, Sejong could soon become the country's 'de facto' capital. Lee Jae-myung, the overwhelming favourite in Tuesday's presidential election, has pledged to relocate the presidential office, legislature and numerous public institutions to Sejong as part of a renewed push to establish a new administrative capital. 'I will make Sejong the de facto administrative capital and Daejeon a global science capital,' Lee said in the run-up to the election, referring to the nearby central city. 'I will also push for the complete relocation of the National Assembly and presidential office to Sejong through social consensus.' Sejong was conceived of in 2003 by late President Roh Moo-hyun, who believed that moving the capital would achieve the twin aims of reducing congestion in Seoul and encouraging development in South Korea's central region. Roh's ambitions for Sejong were dealt a setback the following year when the Constitutional Court ruled that Seoul should remain the capital. While the prime minister's office and about a dozen ministries have moved to Sejong over the years as part of successive governments' decentralisation efforts, Seoul has remained not only the official capital but also the centre of political, economic and cultural life. Greater Seoul is home to about 26 million people – half of South Korea's population – and most of the country's top companies, universities, hospitals and cultural institutions are clustered in the region. On a recent Friday afternoon, Sejong's wide streets were mostly quiet, a world away from the bustling alleyways of downtown Seoul. At the city's express bus station, a number of government workers were waiting on a bus to take them to the capital. Kevin Kim, a 30-year-old civil servant, travels to Seoul for the weekend at least twice a month. 'My family, friends and girlfriend are in Seoul,' Kim, who has lived in Sejong for nearly two years, told Al Jazeera. 'I have to go to Seoul, as all the big hospitals are there.' Lee Ho-baek, who works for a start-up in Sejong, also visits Seoul several times a month. 'There just isn't enough infrastructure or things to do in the city for us,' he told Al Jazeera, explaining that he is not sure if he will stay much longer despite having moved to Sejong only a year ago. After years of roadblocks to Sejong's development, including concerns about costs and constitutional legitimacy, candidate Lee's pledge has stirred tentative signs of growth in the city. In April, real estate transactions increased threefold compared with the same period the previous year. But with Sejong's fortunes so closely tied to the changing whims of politicians, there are concerns about its long-term sustainability. During discussions about the possible relocation of the presidential office and legislature by Lee Jae-myung's Democratic Party in 2020, apartment prices jumped by 45 percent – only to decline in the following years. In Sejong's Nasung-dong, a central neighbourhood surrounded by parks, shopping centres and flashy apartments, the streets were quiet as Friday afternoon turned into evening. M-Bridge, a highly anticipated multifunctional mall designed by global architect Thom Mayne's firm, was largely empty. According to the Korea Real Estate Board, Sejong has a 25 percent vacancy rate for mid- to large-sized shopping centres, the highest rate in the country. 'In our city, the weekdays are busier than the weekends,' Jace Kim, a restaurant owner who came to Sejong in 2015, told Al Jazeera. 'Most public workers who work within the city spend their time and money outside of the city limits. Our city is relatively small and newly built, so it's ideal for mothers and children. But we don't have any universities or major companies that will attract young people to come here.' Moon Yoon-sang, a research fellow at the Korea Development Institute (KDI), said Washington, DC, could be a model for Sejong's growth and development. 'If the centre of the government moves to Sejong, it's the hope that conventions and important meetings will happen there instead of in Seoul,' Moon told Al Jazeera. 'Today, there are only two major hotels in the city, but people are expecting a monumental effect with the moving of the National Assembly.' Park Jin, a professor at KDI's School of Public Policy and Management, said he supports Sejong becoming the official capital. After the 2004 Constitutional Court ruling, relocating the capital would require an amendment to the constitution, which would need to be approved by two-thirds of the National Assembly and half of voters in a referendum. In a 2022 survey by Hankook Research, 54.9 percent of respondents said they approved of moving the capital to Sejong, but 51.7 percent disapproved of moving the National Assembly and the president's office out of Seoul. 'As all of the country's talent pool and key infrastructure are staying within Seoul, the country needs to invest in developing our other major cities,' Park told Al Jazeera. 'For Sejong, this means combining with neighbouring Daejeon to become the nation's centre for administration and research.' Park believes that the country's five major cities outside the greater Seoul area should have at least 4 million residents to maintain healthy urbanisation. Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, has 3.26 million people. Last year, the Korea Employment Information Service officially categorised Busan as being at risk of extinction due to record-low birth rates and a declining young workforce. Population declines in regional parts of the country have been further exacerbated by internal migration to Seoul. More than 418,000 people moved to the capital region last year. Sejong has a goal of reaching 800,000 residents by 2040, roughly double its current population. 'Today, many people won't think about moving to Sejong. In an age where it's expected for both members of married couples to be working, it's very difficult for both members to find jobs outside of Seoul,' Moon said. 'Maybe in the next 10 years, we might see differences in how people view Sejong.' Park said developing a city from scratch is not a short-term project. 'But with the relocation of the capital, we can expect some real changes to happen,' he said.
Korea Herald
02-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Daejeon mayor announces Malaga will host 2nd GINI General Assembly in 2026
Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo officially announced that the 2nd General Assembly of the Global Innovative Network of Innovation will be held in Malaga, Spain in 2026. The announcement was made Monday, during a joint press briefing at Malaga City Hall with Malaga Mayor Francisco de la Torre. Launched by Daejeon and four global cities including Dortmund and Malaga in 2024, GINI is a collaboration platform that aims to promote economic development and urban innovation through science and technology. Mayor Lee, who chairs the GINI, emphasized the growing role of GINI as a results-oriented international organization. The upcoming assembly will be held in conjunction with Transfiere, Europe's largest research and development event, which marks its 15th anniversary next year. Ahead of the press event, the two mayors held a bilateral meeting to explore ways to strengthen cooperation not only in science and economy but in culture and the arts as well. The leaders agreed to expand exchanges between the cities, laying the groundwork for deeper collaboration. In a business forum hosted by Promalaga, officials and entrepreneurs from both cities discussed partnerships in smart cities, artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Hanbat National University and the University of Malaga also signed a memorandum of understanding to initiate joint research and academic cooperation. Additionally, KAIST and the University of Malaga are exploring collaboration in AI semiconductor technologies. Mayor de la Torre expressed his honor at hosting the assembly, stressing the importance of global cooperation to solve urban challenges and improve citizens' lives. He also reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening ties with Daejeon and the GINI alliance. Mayor Lee noted that the 2026 assembly will be a defining moment for GINI to become a leading global platform for science and economic cooperation. He added that Daejeon, home to South Korea's major national research institutes, is committed to deepening international collaboration with fellow innovation cities. By Lee Kwon-hyung kwonhl@ Choi Jeong-yoon
Korea Herald
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Korea Herald
S. Korean teenager Yoon Do-young signs for Brighton & Hove Albion
South Korean teenage winger Yoon Do-young has signed for the Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, becoming the country's latest football import to England. Brighton announced on their website Friday that Yoon, 18, has agreed to a deal that takes him through June 2030, though financial terms were not disclosed. Yoon is currently with Daejeon Hana Citizen FC in South Korea's K League 1 and will join Brighton on July 1, when the summer transfer window opens. The Premier League team noted that Yoon is expected to be loaned out next season. Yoon, a member of the South Korean men's under-20 national team, has been linked to Brighton since early this year. He recorded a goal and three assists in 19 matches for Daejeon last year and has logged three matches so far this season, without any goal involvement. David Weir, Brighton's technical director, said Yoon is "widely regarded as one of the best young talents in Asia." "We will be watching closely as he continues his development in the South Korean League through until the summer, and then look to find a suitable loan for him next season," Weir was quoted as saying on the team's website. Brighton are in seventh place in the Premier League this season with 47 points, having won four of their past five matches. In a statement released by Daejeon Hana Citizen, Yoon expressed his love for both the club and their home city of Daejeon, located some 140 kilometers south of Seoul. "I've been able to develop and grow so much as a player thanks to Daejeon Hana Citizen," Yoon said. "I've lived in Daejeon since middle school and I love the city so much. I will never forget all the love and support from my fans, and I will try to make the Daejeon football club proud." (Yonhap)
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Season Preview: Jeju SK
The Tangerines stand together for one last time as they beat Jeonbuk 1-0 in their final ever win known as 'Jeju United FC'. But as we head towards the 2025 season, will The Islanders be left stranded or will they be more united than ever before? 15 Wins, 4 Draws, 19 Losses / 49 Points / 7th Fewest League Draws Most League Losses Despite the ACL hopefuls finishing in Final B, it is worth noting they only lost one game fewer than FC Seoul - who ended in the AFC Champions League Qualification Spot. After finishing ninth in the 2023 season, on paper, a seventh-place position in 2024 seems like it was an improvement. However, with the most defeats in the league last season (19 losses - joint worst with Gwangju) and the worst goal difference (-16), the Islanders will be aiming for a better 2025. 2024 got off to a fairly poor start for Jeju, having won only three of their opening 10 matches which saw them lingering in the relegation places from the off. A fortunate win in the first round of the newly branded Korean Cup saw Jeju edge out K League 2 outfit Cheonan City on penalties. The sky blue side could walk away from that match with their heads held high as they took Jeju right to the wire. Unfortunately, for Cheonan, penalty misses by Shin Hyung-min and Koo Dae-young saw them eliminated and Jeju progressed, where they drew Daejeon for the second season in a row. Only winning four matches across another 10 matches in the league, the Islanders really found it difficult to come out of first gear, picking up back-to-back wins against Suwon FC and Daejeon at the end of May before losing three league matches in a row after that. There was a lack of consistency in performances, and it didn't help that lady luck seemingly wasn't on their side when it came to results. However, there seemed to be some light at the end of this dark tunnel, as a penalty win against Daejeon and a one-nil win away to Gimpo FC, saw Jeju reach the semi-finals of the Korean Cup once again, and once again they drew Pohang in the same round - where they were very fortunate to draw the first leg with two goals apiece, despite mass dominance from the Steelers, who made up for up in the second leg with a controlled two-one victory at the Steelyard. Pohang would eventually go on to lift the cup! From September is when we really started to see a bit more consistency and safety was assured as Jeju won five and drew two of their last 10 games - seeing wins over a struggling Jeonbuk and an eventually relegated Incheon. To summarise, the first two-thirds of the season weren't great, yet the final third of the campaign showed promise - and that is the form Jeju will need to carry as they host FC Seoul on the opening weekend of the 2025 season! After signing a total of 10 players as of the start of February, the most notable of the lot is in the departures section - Koo Ja-cheol hanging up his boots and Reis moving back to Gwangju in a trade deal involving Lee Gun-hee. Koo Ja Cheol's presence in the dressing room and Reis' creative ability will be sorely missed by a team that only managed to hit the back of the net 38 times (Joint worst Goals For with Incheon United). It is not all doom and gloom as Jeju have bolstered their defence with the signing of Jang Min-gyu from Machida Zelvia of the It appears the scouting department has opted for anyone under the age of 25, with two very good prospects joining the club - Oh Jae-hyeok - a 22-year-old midfielder from Jeonbuk, and Kim Ryun-seong - a Jeju-born left sided full back - from Pohang. Pictured above: Jeju SK Forward, Yuri Jonathan Yuri, who joined the side prior to the 2023 season has adapted well to life in Korea. In his first season, which started off poorly with a penalty miss on his debut, ended up decent as he accumulated 10 goals and even picked up four assists in 33 matches. As for 2024, even though he created fewer goals (seven goals, two assists), his overall average rating increased from 7.1 to 7.3. If Yuri is able to get good reception of the ball, he could easily break the 10 goal mark, and, if he is on form, then his confidence will skyrocket, and the whole team will improve as confidence in each and everyone will also increase. Not to put pressure on the 26-year-old, but he is the main man up top for a reason! Oh Jae-hyeok Although he will be turning 23 years old at the end of June, Oh Jae-hyeok is my pick for the one to watch. Now Han Jong-mu has departed for Daegu FC, the focus turns to Oh. The versatile midfielder comes off the back of a successful loan spell at K League giant Seongnam FC, where K League United's very own Seongnam columnist, Diogo, had this to say, "Tidy player, very technical! I feel like he can raise the technical ceiling of any team." Only having played 12 league games for the Magpies in 2024 - which was a shock to some - Kim Hak-bum recruited the midfielder as a prospect signing. Oh Jae-hyeok, who is very ambitious, had this to say for the Jeju fans: "I haven't been able to show much so far. I want to give Jeju fans an exclamation point, not a question mark." Will Jeju continue their trajectory or finish in the top half/ACL places? Jeju SK's most recent participation in the AFC Champions League (ACL) was in 2018. During that tournament, they finished in fourth place in the group, failing to advance to the knockout stages. Since then, the Tangerines finished fourth in 2018, were relegated to K League 2 in 2019 (and won it in their first season down), fourth again in their return to the top flight in 2021 - narrowly missing out on ACL football by a single point, fifth in 2022, ninth in 2023, and seventh in 2024. Before the 2024 season came to a close, Jeju were on a negative trend towards the bottom of the table. Will Kim Hak-bum's new recruits help guide Jeju back towards a top-half finish, or will they falter and fall back to the relegation zone, only time will tell. Even though Jeju lost 50% of their league matches, the new and younger-looking team will be very ambitious. To reach back-to-back Korean Cup Semi-Finals is a great achievement for this side, and Kim Hak-beom's side will be aiming to get over the final hurdle once again.
