Korea Daily Brief

South Korea announced it will host the 2029 Invictus Games in Daejeon, marking the first time this international sporting event for wounded veterans and service members takes place in Asia. The government plans to pass special legislation and establish an organizing committee in 2027, with the games running October 6-15, 2029. The event expects to draw around 3,000 athletes, officials, and support staff to venues across Daejeon's Yuseong district.

South Korea's K League All-Star team will face Manchester City in a friendly match Wednesday night at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Coach Chung Jung-yong is leading a 24-player squad mixing domestic talent with foreign stars, despite some players missing due to World Cup recovery. Man City enters as heavy favorites in their preseason tune-up, while K League players are mid-season, having just played last weekend.

Lee Da-yeon claimed her 10th KLPGA Tour title at the Aurora World Championship in Wonju, jumping 16 places to No. 52 in the world rankings. The win came in dramatic fashion—she trailed by two shots with two holes left, then birdied both the 17th and 18th to edge Kim Su-ji by one stroke. This victory ends an 11-month title drought and marks a major milestone in her career.

San Francisco Giants right fielder Lee Jung-hoo went 2-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch against the San Diego Padres, recording his 33rd multi-hit game and pushing his batting average back above .300. The matchup featured fellow Korean Song Sung-mun, who struggled at the plate going 0-for-4. Lee's performance included a stolen base and a double, though the Giants fell short in a 5-4 loss.

Korea's new Women's Pro Baseball League kicked off its inaugural season this weekend with a strong international roster. Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato, considered the world's top female pitcher, is leading eight Japanese players in the league. The 65-player roster includes 33 Americans, 11 Canadians, 8 Japanese, 5 Mexicans, and 4 Australians.

South Korean ace Kim Ra-kyung started the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game on Saturday, throwing the first pitch and recording the first strikeout in women's pro baseball in the US in 72 years. She pitched four innings for the New York Heights against the Los Angeles Queens but her team lost 10-8 despite leading 8-6 through six innings. Kim, a veteran of South Korea's national team since middle school, missed out on the win but secured her place in baseball history.

Son Heung-min scored again for LA FC in a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, extending his hot streak to four straight matches. The Korean superstar broke a 13-game goalless drought after the World Cup break and now has six goals this season. His clinical finish in the 37th minute was LA FC's only shot on target until Vancouver equalized from the penalty spot.

The KBO announced Saturday that baseball games can now be delayed up to an hour to cope with dangerous heat across the country. Two games in Busan and Changwon were already canceled after temperatures were forecast to exceed 37°C. The league will actively consider canceling games entirely in regions under severe heat wave warnings.

Son Heung-min led the MLS All-Stars to a 4-3 win over LIGA MX All-Stars, scoring two goals in just three minutes during the first half. The Los Angeles FC forward, who played for South Korea in the World Cup, was named game MVP and celebrated with his signature camera gesture. His two quick goals, assisted by Carles Gil, proved decisive in a thrilling All-Star matchup.

The LG Twins defeated the Kiwoom Heroes 5-3 Thursday night at Jamsil Stadium, powered by back-to-back home runs including a three-run shot by Song Chan-eui in the sixth inning. The victory gave Seoul's Twins their first series win since the mid-July All-Star break. Despite winning two of three games, the Twins remain in third place with the KBO's worst July record at 6-12-0.

South Korean mixed doubles pair Shin Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hoon, ranked No. 1 globally, are gearing up for the Asian Games this fall with eyes on gold. They'll likely face China's top pair Sun Yingsha and Wang Chuqin, who beat them in the 2023 semifinals. Both players say they're ready for the pressure and determined to bring home the top medal.

Korea's badminton world No. 1 An Se-young is making her return to competition after a foot injury forced her to miss recent tournaments. She suffered the issue at Japan Open in mid-July and has been recovering at home with rehabilitation training. The BWF World Championships in India (Aug 17-23) is her next target.