Defending champions to take on runners-up to kick off 2023 K League football season

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korean football's two biggest rivals will reacquaint themselves with each other to kick off the 2023 season next month.

The Korea Professional Football League (K League) announced fixtures for the 2023 K League 1 season Friday. Ulsan Hyundai FC, the reigning champions, will host runners-up Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at 2 p.m. on Feb. 25 to open the new season at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, some 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

In this file photo from Oct. 23, 2022, Ulsan Hyundai FC players and coaches celebrate their 2022 K League 1 championship following a match against Jeju United at Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, some 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

Ulsan held off Jeonbuk last year to win their first K League 1 crown since 2005. Jeonbuk had won the three previous titles, from 2019 to 2021, with Ulsan finishing in second place on all three occasions.

Not all was lost for Jeonbuk last year, as they won the FA Cup.

Both clubs have been busy this winter. Ulsan shored up their offense further by reacquiring the 2021 K League 1 scoring champion, Joo Min-kyu. Jeonbuk have a couple of former Ulsan players in the mix now in Lee Dong-jun and Jun Amano.

The opening day will feature two other matches: FC Seoul hosting Incheon United at 4:30 p.m., and Suwon Samsung Bluewings facing newly promoted Gwangju FC at the same time.

The six remaining teams in the top division will play their opening matches on Feb. 26: Pohang Steelers versus Daegu FC at 2 p.m., Jeju United against Suwon FC at 2 p.m., and Daejeon Hana Citizen FC, the other promoted team, against Gangwon FC at 4:30 p.m.