Sangju Sangmu FC is a professional football club that competes in the K League 1. The club is based in Sangju, South Korea. Sangmu means martialism and is the sports division of the Military of South Korea. The club officially removed the wordPhoenix in its name in 2013. Their mascot is the Bulsajo. The club's hometown moved from Gwangju to Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do after the city of Gwangju founded the new professional club Gwangju FC in 2011. On 24 April 2020, the K League confirmed that Sangmu and the lowest team at the end of this season will be relegated to K League 2 in 2021. Sangmu was expected to move its franchise city out of Sangju before the 2021 season. Sangmu's playing staff is made up of young South Korean professional footballers serving their compulsory two-year military duty. Fifteen players join up at the start of every season and spend two years with the side before returning to their previous professional club. Sangmu are not allowed to sign any foreign players because of their military status.
History
Origin – Army FC, Navy FC, Air Force FC era (1950s–1983)
Founding and semi-professional Sangmu FC era (1984–2002)
Sangmu FC was founded on 11 January 1984, as the football side of Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps. Although Sangmu squad was composed of professional players from K League clubs, Sangmu FC competed in the semi-professional league. Sangmu joined the K League for the 1985 season, but spent only one year in the league before dropping out. The reserve side, Sangmu B, competed in the K2 League from 2003 to 2005 before joining the K League reserve league. Sangmu B was based in Icheon and finished as the runners-up in the 2003 K2 League season.
Gwangju Sangmu era (2002–2010)
After establishing a home base in Gwangju in April 2002, the team participated in the Reserve League. The club has rejoined the K League at the start of the 2003 season as Gwangju Sangmu Bulsajo. Between 2004 and 2010, the club has been known as Gwangju Sangmu FC.
Sangju Sangmu era (2011–2020)
Once Gwangju FC was established, Gwangju Sangmu FC was relocated to Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, as Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps moved to Mungyeong, near Sangju. The club name was officially changed to Sangju Sangmu Phoenix FC in January 2011. Before the 2013 season, the club officially removed the word "Phoenix" in its name. In the same season, Sangju Sangmu became the first champions of the newly established K League Challenge and promoted to the K League Classic. Sangju started the 2020 season already knowing they would be relegated to K League 2. The military club decided to move out of Sangju to a new, as yet undisclosed location. Sangju has decided not to establish a football team which would be citizen-owned outfit and also played in K League 2.
