Coming after a decade-long endeavor, South Korea is launching a professional table tennis league next year in what is viewed as a historic moment for the sport.

The inaugural tournament for the 2022 season will last from January to June.

The league will be divided into two tiers; the first tier Korea League will consist of corporate teams, and the second tier National League will be made up of regional teams. 

Winners of the National League can move up to the Korea League if they wish, but there will be no demotions the other way around for the time being.

Table tennis powerhouses such as China, Japan and Germany also run pro leagues.