High schooler Yang Min-hyuk turns pro with Gangwon FC

Gangwon FC midfielder Yang Min-hyuk signed a pro contract with the club just a half year after making his semi pro debut in the K League 1 and while still a high school student, the club announced Monday.

Gangwon FC midfielder Yang Min-hyuk, center, celebrates during a K League 1 match against Gwangju FC at Gwangju Football Stadium in Gwangju on March 10. [GANGWON FC]

Gangwon FC midfielder Yang Min-hyuk signed a pro contract with the club just a half year after making his semi pro debut in the K League 1 and while still a high school student, the club announced Monday.

Gangwon said in an Instagram post on Monday that Yang, 18, has signed a pro contract with the team. He will receive a big pay raise with the pro contract, with the K League minimum salary at 27 million won ($19,500).

Under a semi pro contract, he only made 1 million won per month.

Gangwon FC midfielder Yang Min-hyuk, right, poses with Gangwon FC President Kim Byung-ji after signining a pro contract in a photo shared on the club's official Instagram account on Monday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The semi pro system, adopted in 2018, allows K League teams to sign 17- to 18-year-old footballers to play in pro leagues whilst still in high school. A semi pro contract can run until Dec. 31 of the year the player turns 19.

Yang’s early move to a pro contract comes after he displayed a convincing performance in Korea’s top tier football league.

Playing as a winger, he has been one of the key players behind Gangwon’s impressive run in the 2024 K League 1 campaign.

The rising star has already picked up five goals and three assists in 17 league matches this season, allowing the team to sit in second place on the 12-team league table, just one point behind defending champions Ulsan HD as of Tuesday.

The run is a stark contrast to Gangwon’s struggle last season, when the team avoided relegation by winning the promotion-relegation playoffs after finishing the league in 10th place.

During this season’s run, Yang's ability and fancy footwork has been on display, allowing him to play the length of the pitch and break through in front of goal.

Being able to penetrate to the center of the pitch and threaten the goal is another clear strength.

Yang’s goal against Gwangju FC on March 10 displayed exactly that, finding space outside the center of the penalty box while dribbling and slotting in the ball.

The remainder of the 2024 campaign will see whether it was worth Gangwon signing him to a pro contract early.

Gangwon next face FC Seoul in the 2024 Korea Cup on Wednesday at Seoul World Cup Stadium in western Seoul.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]