By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- The national baseball team named a manager for an upcoming regional tournament Monday, promoting veteran coach Choi Won-ho to the top position.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Choi will be in charge of the national team for the Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC), scheduled for Nov. 12-15 in Tokyo with Japan, Australia and Taiwan in action.
The national team managerial position became vacant last week when Ryu Ji-hyun was hired as new skipper for the KBO club Hanwha Eagles.
This Feb. 25, 2024, file photo shows then Hanwha Eagles manager Choi Won-ho during spring training in Yaese, Japan. Choi was named the manager of the South Korean national baseball team on Oct. 19, 2026. (Yonhap)
Choi, 53, once managed the Eagles. He has also served on the national team coaching staff at several international tournaments, most recently as quality control coach at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March and as pitching coach at the Asian Games in September, both under Ryu. South Korea reached the quarterfinals at the WBC and won the gold medal at the Asian Games.
The KBO said it valued Choi's coaching experience with the national team and his understanding of international competitions.
Choi will meet with the APBC national team at the start of training camp Nov. 2, according to the KBO.
The APBC is open to players aged 24 years or younger, and teams can each bring up to three players who are between 24 and 29 years old or those with no more than three years of professional experience.
The first APBC was played in 2017. After the 2021 tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second edition was held in 2023.
In both events, Japan defeated South Korea in the final.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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