Rugby union in South Korea
Encyclopedia
Rugby union in South Korea is a minor but growing sport.
The game is exclusively played in the southern part of the country: North Korea
has little or no rugby union
presence.
and Yokohama
in neighbouring China
and Japan
, but it is unclear whether this occurred in Korea itself.
However, it seems certain it had some presence by the mid-20th century. Korea was to become occupied by Japan, the main rugby playing nation of Asia, and it could well have been introduced then. South Korea
still maintains a fierce rivalry with Japan to this day.
After World War II
, and later, during the period of the Korean War
, the large influx of troops from Commonwealth
countries cemented its presence. One legacy of this is that South Korean rugby has traditionally been strongest in the army.
However, South Korean rugby has a second string to its bow. The massive growth of the economy since the 1960s, meant that a number of Korean corporations were to set up company teams along the lines of those in Japan, and this has broken up the former dominance of the military.
South Korea made a failed attempt to have rugby union at the Olympic Games readmitted, when they hosted the games in Seoul. Roh Tae-woo
, who was South Korean president at the time, had been a player.
South Korea have emerged as an important rugby nation in Asia, since they won the Asian Championship
in 1990.
Notable players include-
However, the void caused by a lack of rugby was soon to be filled. In late 1977 Billy Cornett and Brad Handley got together and decided to form a new expat club - the Seoul Survivors. The club is still around today.
The game is exclusively played in the southern part of the country: North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
has little or no rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
presence.
History
It is unknown when rugby was first played in Korea. During the mid-19th century, European sailors are recorded as playing some of the earliest games in north east Asia, in ports such as ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
in neighbouring China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but it is unclear whether this occurred in Korea itself.
However, it seems certain it had some presence by the mid-20th century. Korea was to become occupied by Japan, the main rugby playing nation of Asia, and it could well have been introduced then. South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
still maintains a fierce rivalry with Japan to this day.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and later, during the period of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the large influx of troops from Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
countries cemented its presence. One legacy of this is that South Korean rugby has traditionally been strongest in the army.
However, South Korean rugby has a second string to its bow. The massive growth of the economy since the 1960s, meant that a number of Korean corporations were to set up company teams along the lines of those in Japan, and this has broken up the former dominance of the military.
South Korea made a failed attempt to have rugby union at the Olympic Games readmitted, when they hosted the games in Seoul. Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo
Roh Tae-woo , is a former ROK Army general and politician. He was the 13th president of South Korea .Roh befriended Chun Doo-hwan while in high school in Daegu. In his younger life, Roh was a keen rugby union player....
, who was South Korean president at the time, had been a player.
South Korea have emerged as an important rugby nation in Asia, since they won the Asian Championship
Asian Championship
There are various championships held in a variety of sports on an Asian Level:*Athletics: Asian Championships in Athletics*Badminton: Badminton Asia Championships*Baseball: Asian Baseball Championship*Basketball:**FIBA Asia Championship...
in 1990.
Notable players include-
- Lee Ken Yok.
- Kim Yeon Ki.
- Sung Hae-Kyoung.
- Roh Tae-wooRoh Tae-wooRoh Tae-woo , is a former ROK Army general and politician. He was the 13th president of South Korea .Roh befriended Chun Doo-hwan while in high school in Daegu. In his younger life, Roh was a keen rugby union player....
, disgraced 13th president of South Korea (1988–1993).
Expatriate rugby
Expatriate rugby was first played in Korea in 1972. An expat team called the Seoul Wanderers were formed to give opposition to both the local university teams and stationed army teams. This team was made up of players from the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. The team was disbanded in 1976.However, the void caused by a lack of rugby was soon to be filled. In late 1977 Billy Cornett and Brad Handley got together and decided to form a new expat club - the Seoul Survivors. The club is still around today.
See also
- South Korea national rugby union team
- South Korea national rugby union team (sevens)South Korea national rugby union team (sevens)The South Korea national rugby union sevens is a minor national sevens side. They regularly take part in the Rugby World Cup Sevens, and have competed in the Hong Kong Sevens since the 1980s...
- Rugby union at the 2002 Asian Games