South Korea has defeated Japan and advanced to the playoffs of the 2018 Ford World Women's Curling Championship in Canada. 

The four-member squad led by skip Kim Eun-jung on Thursday won 9-5 against Japan in the preliminary round in North Bay, Ontario.

The team, which won a silver medal at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, holds third place in the preliminary round among 13 countries. The top six teams advance to the playoffs. 

South Korea still has two more preliminary matches against Russia and Scotland but with the latest win will advance to the playoffs regardless of the results.