Icheon Daekyo Women
Wikipedia - WK League
The WK League (Hangul: WK리그) is a semi-professional women's football league, run by the Korea Football Association (KFA) and the Korea Women's Football Federation (KWFF), which represents the sport's highest level in South Korea.
Icheon Daekyo won the inaugural edition of the WK League in 2009 and won two more titles in 2011 and 2012. Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels are the most successful team in the league, having won eleven consecutive titles since 2013.
History
In 2006, the Korean Women's Football Federation (KWFF) announced their intention to start a semi-professional women's league the following year with four teams playing 12 to 15 games each across four or five rounds. At the end of 2006 discussions were being held over player eligibility rules, in particular the issue of visas for foreign players. In January 2007, the KWFF clarified that the women's league would not be referred to as a professional league, and that official names under consideration included WK League, following the name of the men's K League and adding a 'W' to stand for 'women's'.
In 2008, the KWFF launched an exhibition league as a pilot for the planned year-round league, with four teams participating in three rounds, to be held alongside pre-existing football tournaments. Daekyo Kangaroos won the exhibition league. Following the pilot scheme, it was announced that the WK League would be launched in 2009.
Due to the issue of securing stadiums in major cities, it was deemed too difficult to operate a home-and-away system. Instead, cities were selected to host a number of rounds each. The first edition of the league was contested by six teams over four rounds and 63 matches, including an all-star game and the championship final. Matches were held on Monday nights to avoid clashes with other professional sports.
The first match of the 2009 WK League took place on 20 April 2009 at Wolmyeong Sports Complex in Gunsan between Daekyo Kangaroos and Hyundai Steel, resulting in a 0–0 draw. Daekyo finished the regular season in first place and went on to win the championship final against Hyundai Steel to become the inaugural WK League champions.
In 2010, the South Korean government announced plans to invest in women's football, including the creation of two new clubs to compete in the WK League. Jeonbuk KSPO and Chungbuk Sportstoto were both formally launched ahead of the 2011 season, bringing the total number of teams in the league to eight. However, the following year the league was reduced to seven teams following the dissolution of Chungnam Ilhwa. From 2012 to 2016, the league continued with seven teams, meaning one team would sit out each round.
In 2013, the WK League drew the attention of local and international media following claims by six clubs that Seoul WFC striker Park Eun-sun was in fact a man. It was reported that coaches from six teams threatened to boycott the 2014 league unless Park took a gender verfication test. Seoul WFC accused their rivals of violating Park's human rights and demanded an apology. Park also received support from an online petition as well as Democratic Party politician Jun Byung-hun, who called for an investigation by the National Human Rights Commission. The six coaches involved claimed that the controversy was a private joke that had been leaked and blown out of proportion. Lee Sung-gyun of Suwon FMC and Yoo Dong-gwan of Goyang Daekyo resigned in the aftermath of the row. In February 2014, the National Human Rights Commission advised the Korea Football Association (KFA) to punish the coaches, but neither the KFA nor the league itself handed down any punishment and as a result, Park eventually left Seoul to join FC Rossiyanka.
In 2015, the league began a home-and-away system for the first time, allowing teams to establish stronger connections with regional governments and fanbases.
Gyeongju KHNP WFC joined the league in the 2017 season, bringing the total number of teams back to eight.