Korea National League

History

The league was officially founded in 2003 as the K2 League to raise the level of competition in Korea. Prior to that, various cup competitions were run by the governing body of semi-professional football. Competitions under the present body can be traced back to 1964, with the participants being mostly work sides of the major industries in Korea (banks, construction companies and the like). It was rebranded as the Korea National League at the beginning of 2006.

It had operated with a two-stage season since its inception, with the two-stage winners meeting in a two-legged championship playoff final at the end of the season before changing to a four team playoff in 2008. Kookmin Bank won the 2003 championship, and successfully defended their title in 2004. Incheon Korail claimed the title in 2005 before Kookmin Bank won it for a third time in 2006. Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dolphin won the championship in 2007.

On December 18, 2009, Mokpo City Government FC & Yongin City Government FC were approved to join the league beginning with the 2010 season.

Promotion issue

Ever since the creation of the league, hopes had been high that a system of promotion and relegation would be implemented between the league and the K-League, the professional football league in Korea. In 2006, it was agreed that, subject to meeting certain financial requirements, the National League champions would be eligible for promotion. Goyang KB Kookmin Bank, who triumphed over Gimpo Hallelujah to win the 2006 title, were the first side eligible for promotion; however, they controversially rejected the chance to return to the professional ranks.

The team received several threats from the National League ranging from being thrown out of the competition, to fines, to point deductions for the upcoming 2007 season. In the end, the side received a point deduction penalty, to be split into ten point deductions in the first and second stages of the 2007 season.

Following the case involving Goyang, teams in the National League signed agreements indicating whether or not they would seek promotion to the K-League if they won the National League in 2007. Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dolphin, who won the championship in 2007, also rejected the chance to move up to the K-League despite previously indicating they would seek promotion.

In light of the issues surrounding the conditional promotion place in 2006 and 2007, the National League decided to end the system prior to the 2008 season.

On November 2, 2009, the new commissioner, Kwon Oh-Gab, announced that he would push the implementation of a promotion system with the K-league within 3 years.

2016 season

The following 10 clubs compete in the Korea National League during the 2016 season:

Stadiums (2016)

Primary venues used in the Korea National League:

All-time Member Clubs

There have been a total of 16 member clubs since the league was founded as the K2 League in 2003. Seoul replaced Hallelujah for the second stage of the 2003 season after protests by radical Wonbuddhists forced the Christian club out of Iksan. Hallelujah returned to the league in 2004 after moving to Gimpo. Sangmu B withdrew their team from the league at the end of 2005 in order for the team, essentially the reserve side of K-League team Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo, to compete in the K-League Reserves League. In the 2010 season, Nowon Hummel FC moved to Chungju city in Chungbuk province, and the club's name changed to Chungju Hummel FC.

Teams are listed with present-day names in the case of sides that have changed names or locations previously:

Defunct former clubs

Previous winners

Sangmu players