On the 16th, the Heungkuk Life Volleyball Team officially announced that they had signed a one-year contract with Kim Yeon-kyung for a total compensation of 775 million won (annual salary of 475 million won, option of 300 million won). In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, you can see Kim Yeon-kyung in a pink uniform.
Kim Yeon-kyung said, “I had a lot of thoughts because it was the first free agent (FA) in my life. The coach’s plan for the season was a big reason why I made up my mind. The cheers of the fans who filled 6,000 seats last season are still vivid,” he said. Also, I would like to express my gratitude to Heungkuk Life Insurance for giving me a lot of consideration.”
Coach Marcello Abondanza (53, Italy), who takes the baton of Heungkuk Life Insurance until the 2024-2025 season, said, “As a volleyball player, I think Kim Yeon-kyung is a player who has a good influence on the team in many areas, including technical as well as mental aspects.” I am happy to be able to work with such a player in the future,” he said.
After completing the 2022-2023 season after playing for a long time overseas, such as in Turkey and the Chinese league, Kim Yeon-kyung, who belatedly filled the 6th season and earned her first FA (free agent) qualification, was considered the “largest fish” in the FA market. In the 2022-2023 season, Kim Yeon-kyung scored 669 points (5th overall), the most among domestic players, and took first place in the attack success rate (45.76%), putting Heungkuk Life Insurance, which ranked 6th last season, at once at the top of the league.
Although he was runner-up to Korea Expressway Corporation in the championship match with 2 wins and 3 losses, he proved why he is called the ‘Volleyball Empress’ by holding the center on and off the court.
Kim Yeon-kyung even hinted that he was considering his retirement during this season. However, on the 10th, after receiving the 5th regular league MVP (Best Player) award in the 2022-2023 season at the Professional Volleyball V-League Ceremony (Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel), “I am thinking of doing more as a current player. He is negotiating with his club, Heungkuk Life Insurance, and is also talking with other clubs,” he said, declaring that he would continue his active life. Regarding which team he would go to at the time, he said, “I want to win a unified championship (regular league championship match),” and said he was looking for a team that could win. At one time, there were rumors that he would leave for Hyundai E&C. 먹튀검증
However, Kim Yeon-kyung eventually made up her mind to challenge the integrated championship once again in Heungkuk Life Insurance, the ‘parent team’. Kim Yeon-kyung is a franchise star who has always worn a pink uniform in Korea except for overseas life after wearing a Heungkuk Life Insurance uniform as the 1st place in the 1st round of the 2005-2006 season.
The Heungkuk Life Volleyball Team said, “We are delighted to sign an FA contract with Heungkuk Life’s franchise star Kim Yeon-kyung. I think the contract with Kim Yeon-kyung is the first step towards a combined championship next season. In the future, through full support, we will do our best to present the championship cup to fans as a prestigious club.”