(2nd LD) Veteran forward Lee Dong-gook wins 4th MVP in top football league

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SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- Veteran forward Lee Dong-gook of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors captured his fourth MVP award in the top domestic football league on Tuesday.

Lee was named the MVP of the K League Classic at the annual awards ceremony in Seoul, becoming the first player in the league's 32-year history to win the top individual honor in consecutive seasons. The 36-year-old had also won the MVPs in 2009 and 2011. Only one other player, Shin Tae-yong in 1995 and 2001, has even won two MVP trophies.

Lee earned 52 out of 109 votes cast by members of football media, edging out Suwon Samsung Bluewings' midfielder Yeom Ki-hyun by four votes. Ulsan Hyundai's striker Kim Shin-wook, the scoring champ with 19 goals, earned nine votes.

Lee scored a club-high 13 goals as Jeonbuk captured their second straight K League Classic championship. Lee has now scored in double figures in a record-tying seven straight years. He has also extended his career-leading total to 180 goals.

Lee, who made his K League debut in 1998 and also had stints in the Bundesliga and English Premier League, said he won't hang up his cleats anytime soon.

"I will keep playing as long as I am physically capable of playing," he said. "And I've never considered retirement just because I was exhausted after a match."

Jeonbuk hit a jackpot at the ceremony, as their head coach Choi Kang-hee was voted the Coach of the Year, and their midfielder Lee Jae-sung was named the Young Player of the Year.

Choi, by picking up 83 out of 109 votes, became the first K League coach to win the award four times, having previously been honored in 2009, 2011 and 2014 -- all of them in Jeonbuk's championship seasons.

Choi said he wants to keep pushing his players to stay at the top next year and beyond.

"As difficult as it is to reach the top, it's more challenging to stay there," he said. "I've seen too many teams suffer spectacular falls from the summit. I will speak to the front office about adding more talented players next year."

Lee Jae-sung, 23, scored seven goals to capture the Young Player award, presented to the top South Korean-born player aged 23 or younger with under three years of professional experience. This was Lee's second K League Classic season.

He garnered 46 votes to beat out Seongnam FC's Hwang Ui-jo (34 votes) and Suwon's Kwon Chang-hoon (29 votes).

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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