K League Hall of Fame Inducts Six New Members in Ceremony

The Korean Professional Football League (K League) Hall of Fame welcomed six new members in a ceremony Tuesday, celebrating the league's commitment to honoring its top players, coaches, and contributors. The new inductees join a class of 12 Hall of Famers, including a late World Cup hero who excelled at multiple positions in the domestic league. The Hall of Fame opened in 2023 to mark the league's 40th anniversary.

Key Takeaways:

The K League Hall of Fame has inducted six new members, including late K League star Yoo Sang-chul, former league MVP Kim Joo-sung, ex-goalkeeper Kim Byung-ji, and former striker Dejan Damjanovic, among others.
Yoo Sang-chul won the K League scoring title for Ulsan in 1998 and was an integral part of South Korea's semifinals run at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Kim Joo-sung is the only player in league history to be named to the season-end Best XI at all three outfield positions.
Kim Byung-ji holds the league record for most matches played (708) and clean sheets (229), counting League Cup matches.
Damjanovic credited his coaches, teammates, and family for his success and expressed gratitude for the award.
Kim Ho, a former head coach, has the third-most coaching wins in league history with 208 and led Suwon Samsung to back-to-back league titles in 1998 and 1999.
Chung Mong-joon, former president of the Korea Football Association, was instrumental in bringing the FIFA World Cup to South Korea in 2002.

Statistics:

300 matches in the top division (eligibility criteria for players)
100 goals scored for an outfield player (eligibility criteria for players)
100 clean sheets for a goalkeeper (eligibility criteria for goalkeepers)
708 matches played by Kim Byung-ji (league record)
229 clean sheets by Kim Byung-ji (league record)
208 coaching wins by Kim Ho (third-most in league history)
50% of the selection committee consisted of fans, media, and club officials.

Sources:

Yonhap News Agency, September 16, 2025