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| ▲ This image provided by Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on March 23, 2022, shows the K League 1 club's new defender, Kim Moon-hwan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ In this file photo from Sept. 2, 2021, Kim Moon-hwan of South Korea (R) battles an Iraqi player during the teams' Group A match in the final Asian qualifying round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. (Yonhap) |
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Mired in relegation zone, K League champions Jeonbuk acquire LAFC defender Kim Moon-hwan
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, March 23 (Yonhap) -- In their latest attempt to get out of an early season funk, South Korean football champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors announced Wednesday they've acquired South Korean international defender Kim Moon-hwan.
Kim, 26, made his K League debut with Busan IPark in 2017 and had been with Los Angeles FC (LAFC) in Major League Soccer since 2021. LAFC announced their transfer of Kim last week.
He was named to the K League 2's Best XI teams in 2018 and 2019. He parlayed his club success into international duties, having represented South Korea on the under-23 team for 12 matches and on the senior team for 14 more.
He was a member of South Korea's gold medal-winning squad at the 2018 Asian Games.
Jeonbuk, the five-time defending K League 1 champions, are stuck in 11th place among 12 clubs this year with five points from one win, two draws and three losses. Since beating Suwon FC 1-0 in the season opener on Feb. 19, Jeonbuk have gone winless in their next five.
They have only scored three goals while conceding six, for a goal difference of minus-3, the second-worst mark in the K League 1.
Jeonbuk said Kim has already begun training with the club. The K League is in the midst of an international break, with South Korea playing their final two World Cup qualifying matches this month. Jeonbuk will return to action on April 2 against Gangwon FC.
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