Busan is good

Defense Ministry to launch women's soccer club

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The Defense Ministry on Thursday (Jan. 18) said it will soon create a women's soccer team as a way to boost women's sports. The team will become the nation's fifth semi-professional women's club.

The club will join the Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps, which manages sports teams affiliated with the military. The franchise will be located in Busan, the country's largest port city, a ministry official said.

Seventeen to 18 players will be recruited into the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy through an open competition before the 15-week training session beginning in mid-March, according to the official.

Other teams in the semi-professional women's league include Seoul City, Chungnam Ilhwa, the Daekyo Kangaroos and Hyundai Steel.

The team will likely debut in a tournament for women's clubs nationwide in July.

Republic of Korea's women's soccer, unlike its strong North Korean counterpart, failed to make the finals of the 16-nation Women's World Cup in Beijing, held in September.

The source of news : Korea.net  January 19, 2007