Three days left to K-League Start

Former and latter leagues will be active again for the first time in eight years in the 2004 K League. Each team will challenge for championship with new figures and strengthened capacity.

-- Ever most team & Former and latter league for the first time in 8 years

The 13 teams will compete for the championship cup of the K-League with the addition of a new team, Incheon United. In addition, LG will return to Seoul for the first time in 9 years, allowing soccer fans to watch games in Seoul.

The 2004 K-League, entering 22nd season since its start in 1983, is divided into former and latter leagues for the first time since 1996, and 156 games will be played with 24 games for each team. They will be played in “home and away double round” format in which 13 teams meet once in each league. The former league will be held from April 3 to June 27, and the latter league will be held from August 29 to November 20.

It is expected that a fever of last moment competition will happen since playoffs and championship series are newly introduced, although 108 games are short compared to last season. No extra time will be played and points will be decided with 3 points for a victory, 1 point for a draw and no points for a defeat. The four teams which appear in the playoffs will be two teams of champions from each league and two teams by order of total winning percentage. But if a team gets a championship in both of the leagues, playoffs won’t be necessary.

--No absolute powers, no absolute weeks

The difference between teams was reduced because technical players from the “hometown of Soccer” Brazil will join each team. Managers of the 13 teams say, “There are no easy teams, but also no hard teams to beat.”

Experts evaluate that Seongnam Ilhwa, which seeks its fourth consecutive K League win, the Jeon-nam Dragons, FC Seoul, Suwon Samsung, Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbook Hyundai as “rather strong.” Experts have labeled Incheon United, Pohang Stealers, and Daejon Citizen as “dark horses,” and the Busan Icons, Bucheon SK, Kwangju Sangmoo, and Daegu FC as “average.”

Soon-Il Kwon stt77@donga.com