K League 2

It is contested between thirteen professional clubs and operates on a promotion and relegation system with K League 1.

K League 2

Organising body	K League Federation
Founded	2013; 11 years ago (2013)
Country	South Korea
Confederation	AFC
Number of teams	13
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	K League 1
Domestic cup(s)	Korean FA Cup
Current champions	Gimcheon Sangmu (2023)
Most championships	Gwangju FC Sangju Sangmu Gimcheon Sangmu (2 titles each)
TV partners	Sky Sports (South Korea) Life & Sports TV
Website	kleague.com
Current: 2024 K League 2

In 2011, the original K League announced a plan to begin a promotion and relegation system between the K League and a proposed second division. The K League then took steps to create the new second division, mainly with the addition of a split-system during the 2012 K-League season in which the bottom clubs are placed in a competition for safety with the last placed club being relegated to the new second division (originally it was going to be two clubs relegated but the withdrawal of Sangju Sangmu meant only one would be relegated).

The second division was going to get the name of K League, and the original K League's name was changed to K League Classic along with the new logo. However, the change caused some degree of confusion and controversy, and on 11 March 2013 the official name was changed to K League Challenge. On 22 January 2018, its name was once again changed to K League 2.

Regular season

The regular season consists of 39 rounds. Each team plays a total of 36 games, playing each other three times in a triple round-robin tournament. As there is an odd number of teams in the league, one team rests each round. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points. In the case that teams are level on points, tie-breakers are applied in the following order:

1. Total goals scored
2. Goal difference
3. Total wins
4. Head-to-head results
5. Penalty points accrued

The K League 2 champions gain automatic promotion to K League 1.

Playoffs

The K League 2 runners-up play against the eleventh-placed team in K League 1 in the first of two promotion-relegation playoffs. The fourth and fifth-placed teams in K League 2 play against each other in the first round of the K League 2 playoffs, with the winner facing the third-placed team in the second round. The winner of the K League 2 playoffs plays against the tenth-placed team in K League 1 in the second promotion-relegation playoff.