Ansan volleyball club OKman setting up move to Busan

Busan could soon welcome a volleyball team, as Ansan OK Financial Group OKman looks set to relocate from Ansan, Gyeonggi, to the southern city.

Ansan OK Financial Group OKman players celebrate during a V League match against the Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers at Sangnoksu Gymnasium in Ansan, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 13. [YONHAP]

Busan could soon welcome a volleyball team, as Ansan OK Financial Group OKman looks set to relocate from Ansan, Gyeonggi, to the southern city.

OKman has reportedly sorted out the details of the move, with the club waiting only for the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) board to approve the request.

“The relocation is not yet confirmed, so we are cautious, but it is true that discussions are underway,” a KOVO official said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on Tuesday. "If they discuss the matter at the working committee on June 12 and the board approves it on June 24, OKman will be able to relocate to Busan."

OKman, founded in Ansan, Gyeonggi in April 2013, joined the men's V League as the seventh team.

The Gyeonggi team rose to prominence soon after by winning the 2015 and 2016 V League Championships.

The squad struggled throughout the 2024-25 campaign, however, finishing at the bottom of the seven-team table.

Relocating is not rare in Korean professional sports.

Fellow V League team the Uijeongbu KB Insurance Stars moved from Gumi, North Gyeongsang, to Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, in 2017 and Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass relocated from Seongnam, Gyeonggi, to Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang, in 2015.

If OKman moves to Busan, three out of seven V League teams will be based outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

The Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs play in Daejeon, while the Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers are based in Cheonan, South Chungcheong.

OKman's potential move would raise Busan's pro sports teams to four, with the KBO team Lotte Giants, K League 2 club Busan IPark, KBL team Busan KCC Egis and WKBL team Busan BNK Sum already based in the city.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY KO BONG-JUN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]