South Korea's K-League Classic is reportedly feeling the effects of the huge Chinese football investment happening right now around the world as more and more of its players and managers are being lured in China, particularly in the country's first tier association football competitions, the Chinese Super League.

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K-League Classic is one of two South Korean association football leagues and is the highest and most prestigious level of football in the country, with the other one called K-League Challenge.

With the ongoing globalization of football in China that is initiated and spearheaded by no less than the country's president, Xi Jinping, Chinese cash is "spreading like wildfire in football worldwide", the Korea Joongang Daily reported. Its aim is to recruit not only the top players, but the top coaches and managers as well, and the South Korean top flight is not exempted from it.

South Korea national team defensive midfielder Kim Kee-Hee was recently acquired by Shanghai Greenland Shenhua and was given a $6 million annual salary, which is said to be "one of the biggest transfers in Korean football history".

Also, earlier this week, manager Choi Yong-soo was snatched from FC Seoul by cash-rich CSL side Jiangsu Suning to replace former head coach Dan Petrescu, who was sacked because of poor performance.

The 42-year-old former Júbilo Iwata manager has become the fifth South Korean to coach in the China top flight this season, joining Chang Woe-ryong (Chongqing Lifan), Lee Jang-soo (Changchun Yatai), Hong Myung-bo (Hangzhou Greentown) and Park Tae-ha (Yanbian Funde), as per Reuters, and it looks like he is not the last one.

Choi was presented the Jiangsu job since last season, but he turned it down, citing loyalty to FC Seoul as his reason. However, the CSL club managed to lure him this time, allegedly offering him a salary of $3 million per season.

Some analysts believe that the Chinese expenditure in the K-League is good for the league as a whole as it provides funds for "financially troubled" South Korean football clubs.

However, there are also sceptics who are saying that it could damage the league sooner or later as it may lose its "competitive edge, possibly its popularity, as its star players and managers are playing less in the local league".

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, K-League, K-League Classic, choi yong-soo, Kim Kee-Hee