Journalist
Kang Sang-heon
ksh@ajunews.com
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Ham Jeong-woo wins Asian Tour Singapore Open, earns spot in The Open Ham Jeong-woo won the Asian Tour Singapore Open to secure a berth in men’s golf major championship The Open. Ham finished at 16-under 268 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course (par 71) in Singapore, where the tournament ended April 26. He beat Cameron John of Australia (14-under 270) by two strokes in the $2 million event. Ham, the 2023 KPGA Tour player of the year and a four-time winner in South Korea, claimed his first title on an overseas regular tour. He earned $360,000 in prize money (about 550 million won). The victory also earned Ham a spot in the 154th Open Championship, to be played in July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England. “I think trying to focus only on my play until the end led to the win,” Ham said. “I started the final round with a four-shot lead. Since I began from a good position, I felt a strong sense of responsibility.” He added, “This win means a lot to me personally. I’m even happier because it feels like the experience and preparation I’ve built up paid off. Using this win as a stepping stone, I want to become a player who can confidently contend for titles on bigger stages. I will remember this feeling for a long time and continue to do my best.” Moon Do-yeob, who also played in the event, finished sixth at 8-under 276. Wang Jeong-hun tied for 26th at 4-under 280, Choi Seung-bin tied for 52nd at 1-over 285, and Kim Hong-taek tied for 56th at 2-over 286.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 08:32:03 -
Yoon Ina ties for fourth at Chevron Championship; Nelly Korda wins Yoon Ina tied for fourth at the Chevron Championship, the LPGA Tour’s first major of the season with a $9 million purse. Playing the final round Sunday (Korea time) at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas, Yoon shot a 4-under 68 with seven birdies and three bogeys. She finished at 12-under 276, sharing fourth place with Liu Yan of China, and earned $429,922 (about 635 million won). Yoon, who debuted on the LPGA Tour last year, struggled early, posting just one top-10 finish in 26 starts. This season, she has moved up the leaderboard. She tied for sixth at last month’s Ford Championship, her best finish since joining the tour, then placed fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship that ended on April 20. With another fourth-place finish at the Chevron Championship, she has posted top-five results in consecutive weeks. It was also her best finish in a major. Her previous best was a tie for 14th at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open. The title went to world No. 2 Nelly Korda of the United States. Korda won at 18-under 270, beating Yin Ruoning of China and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, who tied for second at 13-under 275, by five shots. She earned $1.35 million (2 billion won) in prize money. It was Korda’s 17th career LPGA win, her second of the season and her third major title. She also won this event in 2024. World No. 3 Kim Hyo-joo finished sixth at 7-under 281. Yoo Hae-ran and Hwang Yoo-min tied for 12th at 4-under 284. Choi Hye-jin and Lim Jin-hee tied for 21st at 3-under 285, and Lee So-mi tied for 34th at 1-under 287. Defending champion Mao Saigo of Japan tied for 59th at 4-over 292.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-27 08:12:17 -
Choi Chan Wins First KPGA Title at Woori Financial Championship 최찬이 한국프로골프(KPGA) 투어 우리금융 챔피언십(총상금 15억원)에서 생애 첫 우승의 감격을 안았다. Choi closed Sunday with a 4-under 67, making five birdies and one bogey in the final round at Seowon Valley Country Club’s Valley-Seowon course (par 71) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. He finished at 13-under 271, beating Jang Yu-bin and Jung Tae-yang, who tied for second at 10-under 274, by three strokes. It was Choi’s first win in 32 starts on the regular tour. His previous best was a tie for fourth at the season-ending Championship in November last year. Choi earned 300 million won in prize money and secured a two-year tour exemption. The payout was nearly double his cumulative earnings of 175.14 million won from his previous 31 events. Last week, Choi shared the first-round lead at the season-opening DB Insurance Promy Open but faded to a tie for 34th. This week, he moved into contention from the second round and held on for the title. “I never even dreamed I could win. It still doesn’t feel real,” Choi said in a postround TV interview. “It was difficult at first. I’m grateful to my parents for waiting and supporting me.” Jang, who returned after playing LIV Golf, settled for second at 10-under 274. Defending champion Lee Tae-hoon of Canada finished tied for fourth with Kim Baek-jun and others at 9-under 275. Im Sung-jae, the 2023 and 2024 champion who entered the event while visiting South Korea during the PGA Tour season, tied for 39th at 2-under 282.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 17:24:16 -
Lee Ye-won wins KLPGA Deoksin EPC Championship for 10th career title Lee Ye-won, known as the "queen of spring," reached the 10-win mark on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour. Lee won the Deoksin EPC Championship on Saturday at Kingsdale Golf Club in Chungju, North Chungcheong province, shooting a 4-under 68 in the final round with six birdies and two bogeys. The tournament carried a total purse of 1 billion won. She finished at 12-under 204, beating Park Hyun-kyung (9-under 207) by three strokes for her first title of the season. With the 180 million won winner’s check, Lee moved to No. 1 in the season money list at 353.07 million won and also climbed to No. 1 in player-of-the-year points. It was her first victory in 11 months, since winning the Doosan Match Play in May last year, and made her the 16th player in KLPGA Tour history to reach 10 career wins. The win again underscored Lee’s reputation as a strong spring performer. Seven of her first nine tour titles came between March and May. Lee earned her first tour win at the Lotte Rent-a-Car Women’s Open in April 2023, then won the Doosan Construction We’ve Championship in August and the HiteJinro Championship in October. That season she swept the tour’s top honors for player of the year, money leader and scoring average. In 2024, she won three of the first nine events, and last year she won three of the first seven, finishing as co-leader in wins for two straight years. This year, she was runner-up at the season opener in March and tied for sixth at the iM Financial Open, which ended April 12. With this victory, she has been in contention three times in five spring events. In a postround TV interview, Lee said, “I’m happy to reach 10 wins faster than I expected. I like spring because I play well in spring, but this year I want to win in the fall, too. My goal this season is three wins, including a major.” Park, who had not posted a top-10 finish in the first four events, recorded the day’s best score with a 6-under 66 and secured her best result of the season. Han Jin-seon, Yoo Hyun-jo, Kim Si-hyun, Yoo Seo-yeon and Kim Jae-hee tied for third at 8-under 208. Defending champion Kim Min-sun, who was seeking a second straight title after winning the Nexen Saint Nine Masters on April 19, tied for 17th at 5-under 211. 2026-04-26 16:36:19 -
Badminton to End 21-Point Scoring, Adopt 15-Point Games Starting in 2027 Badminton will scrap its more than two-decade-old 21-point scoring system and shift to 15-point games. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) said it approved the new format, known as "15 points, best-of-three games" (3x15), at its annual general meeting on April 25 (local time) in Horsens, Denmark. The proposal passed after securing the required two-thirds majority. The current 21-point system, introduced in 2006, will be replaced starting in January 2027. Under the new rules, the first player or pair to reach 15 points wins each game. With fewer points per game, several rules will change. If the score reaches 14-14, the side that first opens a two-point lead wins the game. To limit extended deuce play, a cap will be set so a game cannot go beyond 21 points. The BWF also set new standards for breaks and court changes. In each game, a break of up to 60 seconds will be allowed when the leading side first reaches 8 points. In the deciding third game, players will change ends when one side first reaches 8 points. BWF President Patama Leeswadtrakul said the new system would deliver "more exciting and competitive" matches and could offer players potential benefits, including recovery. She said it would bring high-pressure moments earlier and create more dramatic finishes, increasing fan engagement. With the new format taking effect in 2027, strategies are expected to shift. Cutting each game from 21 points to 15 increases the cost of early mistakes, and more aggressive tactics from the start are likely. The Badminton Korea Association is expected to closely analyze how the change will affect national team strategy and support players as they adapt to the new system.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 15:51:15 -
South Korea Sweeps Neighbors Cup Golf Titles for Third Straight Year South Korea’s national golf team swept the men’s and women’s individual and team titles for a third straight year at the 23rd Neighbors Cup tri-nation friendly with Japan and Taiwan. The 2026 tournament ended April 24 at Taichung International Country Club (par 72) in Taichung, Taiwan, with South Korea taking all four trophies. South Korea also won the 21st and 22nd editions, becoming the first country in the event’s 23-tournament history to claim men’s and women’s individual and team titles three consecutive years. In the men’s individual event, South Korean players swept the top three spots. An Hae-cheon of Korea National Sport University won at 16-under 200. Kim Min-su of Howon High School-affiliated distance learning program was second at 13-under 203, and Yoo Min-hyeok of Sogang High School placed third at 9-under 207. Son Jae-i of Dongnae High School-affiliated distance learning program finished seventh at 5-under 211. In the men’s team standings, which total the top three scores from each country in each round, South Korea finished at 42-under 606, beating Japan by 19 strokes. Japan was second at 23-under 625. The women’s competition was also led by South Korea. Park Seo-jin of Seomun Girls’ High School won the individual title at 12-under 204, four shots ahead of runner-up Kim Gyu-bin of Haksan Girls’ High School at 8-under 208. Koo Min-ji of Korea National Sport University and Yoon Gyu-ri of Haksan Girls’ High School tied for fourth at 5-under 211. South Korea also won the women’s team title at 33-under 615, ahead of Japan at 14-under 634. An and Park, the men’s and women’s individual champions, extended their strong form after winning together last month at the Taiwan Amateur Championship in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. “It’s an honor to represent my country at the Neighbors Cup,” An said. “I’m happy to be part of a major record with three straight titles. I feel I grew again through this tournament.” Park said she started the final day one shot back. “I felt a lot of pressure to defend the title, but I’m glad I overcame it and won,” she said. “Staying focused to the end helped a lot, even in difficult conditions such as worsening weather.” The Neighbors Cup began in 1996 as a national team exchange between the Korea Golf Association and the Japan Golf Association. It became a three-nation friendly in 2001 when the Chinese Taipei Golf Association joined. South Korea will try for a fourth straight sweep at the 24th tournament, to be held in South Korea in 2027.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 14:51:14 -
Lee Kang-in scores and assists as PSG beats Angers 3-0 to stay atop Ligue 1 Lee Kang-in scored and set up another goal as Paris Saint-Germain beat Angers 3-0 away and stayed top of France's Ligue 1 despite finishing with 10 men. PSG won at Stade Raymond Kopa in Angers on April 26 (Korean time) in the 2025-2026 season's Round 31. The victory was PSG's second straight. With four matches left, PSG moved closer to the title. It remained first with 69 points (22 wins, three draws, five losses), keeping a six-point cushion over second-place Lens on 63 (20 wins, three draws, seven losses). PSG struck early. In the seventh minute, Achraf Hakimi's shot rebounded off the goalkeeper, and Lee raced in, rounded the keeper and slotted a right-footed finish. It was Lee's third league goal of the season and his fourth in all competitions (three in the league, one in the UEFA Super Cup), his first since the Round 21 match against Marseille in February. Against Angers, he has three goals and two assists in four career appearances. PSG doubled the lead in the 39th minute through Senny Mayulu. Lee then delivered the assist for the third goal in the seventh minute of the second half, curling a precise right-side corner into the box for Lucas Beraldo to head home. PSG went down a man in the 29th minute of the second half when Goncalo Ramos was sent off, but it held on for the clean sheet and a 3-0 win. Lee played the full match and received a 8.1 rating from statistics site SofaScore, the second-highest on the team behind Beraldo (8.8).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 11:31:01 -
Lotte Tour Development Chairman Kim Ki-byeong Wins April 19 Revolution Service Award Kim Ki-byeong, chairman of Lotte Tour Development, has received the April 19 Revolution Service Award in recognition of his contributions to carrying on the spirit of the April 19 Revolution. Kim received the award on the 24th at the 44th National Prayer Breakfast marking the 66th anniversary of the April 19 Revolution, held at the April 19 Revolution Memorial Library in Seoul’s Seodaemun District. The National Prayer Breakfast is jointly hosted by the April 19 Democratic Revolution Association, the bereaved families association of April 19 victims and the association of April 19 meritorious persons. Since 2013, the service award has been presented each year to one person who has contributed to advancing the revolution’s core values of freedom, democracy and justice. Kim was at the forefront of the April 19 Revolution in 1960, serving as president of the student council at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and as chair of a nationwide university student order-restoration committee. He later continued related work, including serving as executive committee chair for the 50th anniversary commemorative project and as chair for the 60th anniversary commemorative project. In 2024, he was selected as a national patriots honoree and received the Moran Medal, a Republic of Korea National Order of Merit, in recognition of those contributions. “Receiving this meaningful award makes me feel a heavy sense of responsibility,” Kim said. “I will continue to do whatever small part I can to help protect and spread the values of the April 19 Revolution.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:51:49 -
KBO League Tops 2 Million Fans in Record 117 Games The KBO League’s early-season surge in attendance has set another record, reaching 2 million fans in the fewest games in league history. The Korea Baseball Organization said 99,905 fans attended games across five stadiums on the 25th, pushing season attendance to 2,094,481. Four parks sold out: Jamsil (23,750), Gwangju-Kia Champions Field (20,500), Gocheok Sky Dome (16,000) and Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark (17,000). Incheon SSG Landers Field, with a capacity of 23,000, drew 22,655, just short of a sellout. The league reached 2 million in 117 regular-season games, breaking last year’s record of 118 games for the same milestone. The KBO has been drawing strongly since opening day. On the 10th, it topped 1 million fans in 55 games, beating the previous record set in 2025 (60 games). Average attendance this season stands at 17,902 per game, up 7.9% from 16,596 at the same point last year. After setting an all-time record of 12,312,519 total fans last year, the KBO is running ahead of that pace again, fueling expectations of topping 10 million for a third straight year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-26 10:43:13 -
South Korea Moves to Overhaul Decades-Old Tourism Laws as Industry Pushes Reform In the first quarter of 2026, inbound tourism to South Korea topped 4.76 million visitors, setting a record, as the government, academics and the private sector moved to modernize tourism laws written decades ago. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a policy forum on the afternoon of April 23 in central Seoul to discuss a broad overhaul of the Tourism Framework Act and the Tourism Promotion Act. The forum followed up on the 10th National Tourism Strategy Meeting held in September. Officials said the goal is to move beyond laws enacted in the 1970s and 1980s that no longer reflect rapid changes, and to present a concrete roadmap for what the ministry called a major shift in the legal framework. ◆ Patchwork revisions hit limits; full overhaul urged South Korea’s tourism legal framework consists of six laws, four enforcement decrees and three enforcement rules. The Tourism Promotion Development Fund Act and the Tourism Framework Act were enacted in the 1970s, and the Tourism Promotion Act and the Korea Tourism Organization Act were enacted in the 1980s and 1990s. Because the system has been revised only in parts, it has grown sprawling and unclear, critics have said, limiting long-term responses needed to develop the tourism industry. The ministry said it has prepared a systematic reform plan — including a full revision of the Tourism Framework Act and a full revision and possible split of the Tourism Promotion Act — based on research conducted with the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute. ◆ From declarations to execution: Framework Act to spell out responsibilities Jeong Gwang-min, a research fellow at the institute, said the Tourism Framework Act is being fully revised for the first time since it was enacted in 1975. “If the existing framework act remained largely declarative — ‘what we will do’ — the new law’s core is to clearly define who will execute policy, how, and on what legal basis,” Jeong said. He said inbound tourism hit a record about 18.7 million visitors last year and reached 4.76 million in the first quarter of this year, but 78.4% of inbound visitors remain concentrated in Seoul. “With the capital-area concentration, there are limits to the extent that regions as a whole can feel the benefits of growth,” he said. He called for the revised law to firmly establish local governments’ legal authority and administrative and financial support so they can plan and carry out region-specific tourism policies. Under the proposal, the current 16-article law would expand to five chapters and 27 articles. The four main directions are strengthening tourism’s guiding principles and core values; defining the roles and responsibilities of the central government, local governments and businesses; reorganizing the policy implementation system; and specifying legal grounds to promote tourism and build an industry base. A key element is reorganizing the “policy formulation and implementation system” that serves as a control tower. Jeong said the proposal would elevate the existing five-year plan to a 10-year “National Tourism Master Plan” and reinforce the legal basis for the National Tourism Strategy Meeting, which was elevated in March to a presidential body, to strengthen policy execution. The proposal also adds new sections on “promotion and facilitation of tourism” and “building the foundation for the tourism industry,” and spells out legal grounds for policies that lacked clear support. It would include provisions to guarantee the public’s right to enjoy tourism and support tourism welfare for vulnerable groups; ensure tourism safety in disasters and other emergencies; protect tourists’ rights; and establish fair trade practices. In the discussion, Cho Gwang-ik, senior vice president of the Korea Tourism Sciences Society, said it could be the biggest comprehensive overhaul since 1986, but warned that universal values such as inclusive tourism and the public’s right to enjoy tourism should not be diminished as the law is made more detailed. Kim Jin, a senior expert adviser at Shin & Kim, said the framework act should reflect a shift from central-government-led tourism policy to a model in which local governments take the lead and the central government supports them. ◆ Proposal would split Tourism Promotion Act into industry and regional tracks The second session focused on splitting the expanded Tourism Promotion Act by function to increase specialization. Ryu Gwang-hun, a senior research fellow at the institute, proposed dividing it into a tentatively named “Tourism Industry Promotion Act,” focused on industry development, and a tentatively named “Regional Tourism Development Act,” aligned with a stronger local-government era. On the industry law, Ryu said the system should move beyond the traditional classification centered on seven major sectors and adopt a “service-attribute-based” structure that actively accommodates digital transformation such as AI and platforms. He cited support to expand an AI-based industry ecosystem; promotion of tourism data collection and use; building broader support for startups, investment and finance; and stronger consumer protections suited to changing transaction environments. He said a separate, stand-alone law for the casino and lodging sectors was also discussed, given their institutional characteristics. On the regional law, Ryu said the approach should shift from development-centered policy to regional community growth and sustainability. He said legal grounds are needed for dedicated local tourism organizations and that legal options should be reviewed to secure local finances, such as a tourism lodging tax or room tax. He also proposed bold regulatory exemptions for small-scale, dispersed development and a one-stop system for handling related agendas. In the second-session discussion, Lee Hoon, a professor at Hanyang University, said that if the law is divided into industry and regional parts, a tight linkage system is needed so overlapping areas — such as festivals that are both industry activity and local events — are not neglected. Jeong Ji-ha, CEO of Tripbtoz, said tourism’s share of South Korea’s gross domestic product has long been stuck in the 3% range. “To raise it to 10%, we can’t remain an analog industry. We urgently need a legal framework centered on the next generation that fosters innovative companies able to compete head-on with global services in the digital world,” he said. In an open discussion, participants also raised a shortage of tourist interpreters and guides for less common languages; the need for clear legal status and certification standards for small and midsize tourism venture companies; a regulatory fast track for new services to keep up with rapidly changing trends; and support measures for local creators to energize regional tourism. Kang Jeong-won, the ministry’s director general for tourism policy, said the overhaul is not simply revising a thick statute book but “a difficult task of designing a new framework that opens an era of 30 million tourists and properly reflects the wide range of industries today.” He pledged to incorporate feedback from the forum and push for legislation through a National Assembly bill in the second half of the year. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-24 00:03:49