16-578: The K3 League is the third-highest division in the South Korean football league system . It was run as an amateur league until 2019, but was relaunched as a semi-professional league after absorbing the Korea National League in 2020. It is currently contested by 16 clubs. The Korean National Semi-Professional Football League was founded in 1964 and lasted until it was replaced by the Korea National League in 2003. The National League (K2 League)
32-419: A promotion and relegation system between the K League and a proposed second division. The K League then took steps to create the new second division, mainly with the addition of a split-system during the 2012 K-League season in which the bottom clubs are placed in a competition for safety with the last placed club being relegated to the new second division (originally it was going to be two clubs relegated but
48-503: A total of 36 games, playing each other three times in a triple round-robin tournament . As there is an odd number of teams in the league, one team rests each round. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points. In the case that teams are level on points, tie-breakers are applied in the following order: The K League 2 champions gain automatic promotion to K League 1 . The K League 2 runners-up play against
64-609: Is the WK League , which was founded in 2009. Korean National Semi-Professional Football League was a semi-professional football league between corporate teams in South Korea from 1964 to 2002. In 1983, with the establishment of K League which is a professional league, the Semi-professional League became the second tier and remained so until it was replaced by the Korea National League in 2003. The third tier K3 League
80-546: The K3 League and K League 2. All participating clubs play home and away season in the K3 League. The championship playoffs were contested by top four clubs of the regular season in 2020 and 2021, but were not held in 2022 onwards. The promotion and relegation system exists between the K3 League and the K4 League , although the number of promoted team(s) and relegated team(s) is different every season. The following clubs are not in
96-477: The K3 League as of the 2025 season . South Korean football league system The South Korean football league system contains two professional leagues, two semi-professional leagues, and various amateur leagues for Korean football clubs. The highest level of football in South Korea is the K League 1 , which was founded in 1983. K League 2 was founded in 2013 and is currently a second division. Below
112-527: The K3 League. Promotion and relegation takes place within each of three classes (professional, semi-professional and amateur) but at present there is no promotion and relegation between classes. The KFA has announced plans to unify the league system with promotion and relegation between all seven leagues starting from the 2027 season. Outside this league structure, there are university, reserve and youth level competitions. University clubs' U-League and reserve teams' R League are operating independently from
128-623: The National League could compete in the National League Championship , but both were abolished. At present, four South Korean sides qualify automatically for the AFC Champions League . Three top teams from K League 1 automatically gains entry to the AFC Champions League . The Korean FA Cup winners also qualify for the AFC Champions League only. However, if the champions of Korean FA Cup are not members of K League,
144-405: The amateur K3 League after dividing it into two divisions K3 League Advanced and K3 League Basic in 2017. Meanwhile, the number of National League clubs gradually decreased, while some of them joined second-tier professional league K League 2 (K League Challenge) or were dissolved due to financial problems. The K3 League Advanced and K3 League Basic were relaunched as semi-professional leagues under
160-401: The fourth placed team of the K League 1 receive the entry spot. K League 2 The K League 2 ( Korean : K๋ฆฌ๊ทธ2 ) is the men's second-highest division of the South Korean football league system . It is contested between thirteen professional clubs and operates on a promotion and relegation system with K League 1 . In 2011, the original K League announced a plan to begin
176-509: The league system. Relegation from K League 2 to K3 League and K4 League to K5 League from 2027 have been introduced. All K League , K3 League and K4 League sides qualify for the Korean FA Cup tournament. The top eleven sides from the K5 League gained qualification to the 2020 season's FA Cup tournament. The Korean League Cup competition was open to K League teams only, whilst sides from
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#1732855252265192-409: The level of the professional leagues are the semi-professional K3 League , which was founded in 2007 and refounded in 2020, and the K4 League , which was founded in 2020, and serve as the third division and fourth division, respectively. There was no avenue for progression between any of the leagues until 2012, when the K League 2 was founded. The highest level of women's football in South Korea
208-466: The name of K3 League and K4 League respectively, and the National League was merged into the newly-developed K3 League. At present, there is promotion and relegation between the K3 League and K4 League, but clubs cannot be promoted from K3 to the K League 2. However, the KFA has announced plans to unify the K League system, meaning that from the 2027 season onwards, there will be promotion and relegation between
224-496: The withdrawal of Sangju Sangmu meant only one would be relegated). The second division was going to get the name of K League, and the original K League's name was changed to K League Classic along with the new logo. However, the change caused some degree of confusion and controversy, and on 11 March 2013 the official name was changed to K League Challenge. On 22 January 2018, its name was once again changed to K League 2. The regular season consists of 39 rounds. Each team plays
240-504: Was established to introduce the promotion and relegation system between semi-professional clubs and K League clubs. However, National League clubs which formed independent federation were reluctant to invest for their professionalization, and the plan was miscarried due to their refusal. The Korea Football Association (KFA) continued its plan to complete the South Korean football league system . The KFA made its amateur league K3 League in 2007, and introduced promotion and relegation in
256-520: Was founded as an amateur league in 2007, and became the fourth tier after K League 2 , the second division of the professional league, was founded in 2013. In 2017, the K3 League was divided into two divisions, the K3 League Advanced and the K3 League Basic. They were relaunched as semi-professional leagues with new names, K3 League and K4 League , in 2020. The National League was merged into
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