Hwaseong FC has climbed to the top of the K3 League, the third tier of Korean soccer.

Hwaseong (16 wins, 9 draws, 2 losses, 57 points), led by head coach Kang Cheol, won 2-1 away from home against Changwon City Football Club in the 29th round of the 2023 K3 League at Changwon Sports Complex on March 3.

Hwaseong had already clinched the title before the match ended.

In the previous match, second-place FC Mokpo (14 wins, 8 draws, 5 losses, 50 points) lost 1-3 to Daejeon Korail, keeping their goal difference at four with one game remaining.

Going into the match with the title already secured regardless of the final result, Hwaseong celebrated with an away win.

In 2023, the K3 League featured 15 teams playing a home-and-home format, with no tournaments and the final standings determined solely by regular season results.

Mars roared out of the gate with a 17-game unbeaten streak at the start of the season and eventually won the title.

This is the third league title for the team since its inception.

In 2014, when the K3 League was known as the K3 Challengers League, Mars finished second in the regular season before eventually winning the championship.

In 2019, they topped the regular season in the K3 League Advance and defeated Yangpyeong FC in the championship.

It was their first title since the league was reorganized into the unified K3 League in 2020.

Meanwhile, promotion and relegation in the K3-4 leagues are also taking shape.

In this season’s K3 League, the 14th and 15th-ranked teams will be automatically relegated to the K4 League, while the 13th-ranked team will play the winner of the K4 League playoffs for promotion.

With the relegation of last-place Yangju Citizens Football Club confirmed, 13th-ranked Yangpyeong FC and 14th-ranked Changwon City Hall will be determined by the results of the final round on Nov. 11.

In the K4 League, Yeoju FC leads the way with 57 points, having played one game less than second-place Daegu FC B Team (54 points).

Yeoju FC will clinch the K4 League title with a draw against FC Chungju on May 5. 파워볼사이트