u/Mr-S-44

What's next, a Bengal tiger? Perhaps we'll get pythons released by terrible pet owners like what happened in the Everglades.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20260723/siamese-crocodile-caught-in-yeoju-stream-exposing-exotic-pet-risks

>A crocodile caught in a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, has been identified as a Siamese crocodile, reviving concerns over abandoned exotic pets threatening Korea's ecosystem.
The city of Yeoju said Tuesday that an analysis by the National Institute of Biological Resources confirmed the animal as a Siamese crocodile. It is listed as a Class 1 internationally endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

An interview with Tom Byer, one of the coaches that made Japan's football program the contender it is today.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/sports/20260718/changing-coaches-will-not-save-korean-football-youth-expert-says

>To understand this growing gap, the Hankook Ilbo interviewed Tom Byer in a video call on July 6. The 65-year-old New York native is widely considered an important figure in Japanese youth football, having moved to the country in the late 1980s and eventually building a network of 150 academies. Named one of modern football's six "football architects" by The Athletic last year, Byer said Korean football must establish long-term goals.

Q: You run a coaching program called "Football Starts at Home." What is the philosophy behind it?
A: The idea has heavily influenced my entire career. There are 211 FIFA member nations, but only eight countries have ever won the World Cup. I wanted to understand why. Is it because their coaches are superior? Do they have better infrastructure? No. My research showed the answer lies in football culture. In those champion nations, children encounter football as a natural part of their culture at a much earlier age. They become familiar with the ball during the "golden age" — ages 2 to 5 — which is the ideal time to start playing.

The Times has a little primer on derbys in case you are unaware of them. Naturally Ulsan appears in a lot of them.

There is one that happens more often now that both teams are in the same division (both Suwon teams), and a few that could happen if teams improve (Busans pro vs semi-pros, Daejeon's as well). If beef happens between the new GyeongIn area teams we could see more form in the future as well.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/sports/20260716/inside-koreas-fiercest-football-derbies-local-rivalries-fuel-k-leagues-passion

I have no idea if I chose the right flair for this because it's an unusual situation.

Shaolin Soccer got a sequel called Kung Fu Football and it is playing in China right now. The papers and netizens here in Korea are mad about the portrayal of a fictional Ewa University team (which doesn't have a team in real-life), with the players having hypnotic contact lenses and committing fouls (in the trailer they team-kick a player) then using 애교 on the refs. Oh and something about makeup but I didn't see that in the trailer, though they had the team doing semi-seductive poses.

I don't know whether to scold or laugh. Anyway here are the links and you can decide for yourself.

https://www.news1.kr/society/general-society/6231324

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-HE-g5YwZE

As mentioned on WKLeague News, there is a national amateur tournament for Women's footie and they are looking for teams. Regional leagues will take place in Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Gangwon, Chungcheong, and the capital region. Matches will be 8-a-side, playing 25 minutes each way. The top two teams from each region will progress to the national finals at the Korea Football Park in Cheonan from 7th-8th November.

There will be prizes for the top three teams nationally, as well as awards for an individual MVP and top goalscorer. Participating teams will also receive football equipment, all funded by the FIFA Women’s Development Programme, which was renewed and expanded last year in a bid to drive further growth in the women’s game.

https://wkleaguenews.com/2026/06/02/kfa-announces-the-8ight-amateur-womens-championship/

First Phase of National Normalization Project
164 Unrealistic Practices and Rules Under Review
Disclosure of Opaque Officetel Management Fees Considered
Targeting Highway Corp. Revolving-Door Issues and Ticket Scalping
High-Impact Tasks Prioritized for Reform

https://en.sedaily.com/politics/2026/05/22/korea-to-ease-night-time-school-zone-speed-limits

Not sure how many of these will completely get resolved but it's quite the task list. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. Direct elections for the Korea Football Association presidency, increasing transparency in the head coach selection process. Yeah, this has been an issue lately with national team fans over the appointment of Coach Hong.

2. Standardize fees for summer beach facilities such as parasols, where price gouging disputes have been persistent. If you're a fan of going to the beach, not getting gouged will improve the experience.

3. Flexible easing of school zone speed limits. The uniform application of the 30 kilometer-per-hour limit even during late-night hours and weekends, when few children are present, has long been criticized as excessive. This one I feel is on the riskier side in that sometimes there are late-evening activities at schools like festival setup and after-school class/training. If implemented carefully, there shouldn't be any additional risk to kids.

4.  Eradication of ticket scalping in the performance and sports sectors, Yeah this has been a serious drag on baseball and KPOP for years. About time the gov stepped in and did something about it.

The article didn't have a list of all 164 things they desire to fix but I imagine we'll start hearing about them soon enough.

https://youtu.be/X4g1Oi6SoB8?si=VMLhaWhcjN1MexQa

So basically a meteor hit Hapcheon around 50k years ago, producing the basin where rice is now grown and people say it tastes better (space rice 😂). A recent excavation and study found some stromatolites underground, which shows the impacts could form hydrothermal vents where early life could get started. The first theory was that this could happen around undersea hydrothermal vents but depth could be a problem. Watch the video to get a better understanding than my short summary.

Hapcheon residents, congratulations 🎉! You're world famous (for something other than wildfires)!

The Ulsan Whales are looking for people to throw the first pitch in May, I think. You have to submit a witty story. But hey, you get a hat, a shirt, and a ticket to the game if you win!
https://www.uswhales.com/

Click on Fan, then 이벤트, and click on the right poster. The submission box is under the poster.