K-League confirm promotion-relegation system

Korea’s K-League has officially confirmed plans to introduce promotion-relegation to the competition.

On Monday the K-League unveiled the official plans for the new system which had previously come up for discussion in light of the match-fixing scandal which rocked Korean football in 2011.

The new system will see two clubs relegated from the K-League in 2012 but no sides promoted, reducing the competition to 14 teams.

In 2013, two more clubs will relegated with no clubs promoted, leaving the top division as a 12-team competition.

The K2-League will be formed in 2013 with the two clubs relegated in 2012, along with sides from the current second-tier National League and expansion teams making up a competition of six to 10 clubs.

Initially the K-League had proposed relegating four clubs in 2012 however that system was opposed by several of the financially weaker clubs.

K-League general manager Ahn Gi Hun said: “If we directly relegate four teams during the first year, a lot of the less wealthy teams couldn’t adapt to the new system.”

“So all the 16 clubs understood we needed time for the new system to work. So we are doing this across two years time.”

Among the clubs who voiced their concerns were community-owned outfits Incheon United, Gyeongnam FC, Daegu FC, Daejeon Citizen and Gangwon FC.

While outfits like Jeonbuk Motors, FC Seoul, Suwon Bluewings, Ulsan Hyundai and Pohang Steelers are backed by big companies such as Hyundai, Samsung and POSCO, the smaller clubs have far less financial might and are worried about the potential effects of relegation.

It is feared relegation could cause smaller clubs to see a decrease in ticket sales along with a drop in television revenue. The system has been introduced as the K-League believed it will provide an additional incentive for clubs or players previously tempted into match fixing.

Meanwhile, Korean military outfit Sangju Sangmu Phoenix faces the axe automatically, with the Asian Football Confederation telling the K-League the club doesn’t meet the qualifications for a top flight competition.

Finally, the K-League also confirmed the competition will introduce a split-system format whereby the 16-team competition is broken into two after 30 games, reminiscent of the Scottish Premier League.