Kim Yeon-koung Choosing China... "Will Never Forget Domestic Fans' Love and Support"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] 'Volleyball Queen' Kim Yeon-koung (33) has chosen to sign a contract with Shanghai Ubest in China.

Kim Yeon-koung's agent announced on the 19th, "Kim Yeon-koung has agreed to join Shanghai."

Kim Yeon-koung returned to the Korean professional volleyball V-League team Heungkuk Life after 11 years and led the popularity of women's volleyball. Although the team finished second in the regular season and runner-up in the championship finals, she was selected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the regular season.

Kim Yeon-koung had a one-year contract with Heungkuk Life and was considering staying in Korea or moving to an overseas league, ultimately choosing the Chinese league. She agreed to join the familiar Shanghai team, where she played in the 2017-2018 season. The Chinese Women's Volleyball Super League has not yet finalized the schedule for the next season. However, there is a high possibility that the league will hold a 'shortened season' at a single location instead of the traditional home-and-away format. Last season, the Chinese Women's Volleyball Super League started on November 12 and held its final match on December 18.

After a short break, Kim Yeon-koung joined the Korean women's national volleyball team and departed for Italy on the morning of the 21st to participate in the International Volleyball Federation's Volleyball Nations League (VNL). She will then aim for a medal at the Tokyo Olympics. After the Tokyo Olympics, Kim plans to stay in Korea before moving to China.

Through her agent, Kim Yeon-koung said, "After much consideration, I have made my decision. Playing one season domestically and receiving the love and support from Korean fans is something I will never forget," adding, "I ask for your continued support in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.