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89-539: The Goyang Wonders succeeded in producing five players who made it to the top-tier KBO League before they were dissolved in 2014. Altogether, the Wonders produced 23 players who ended up being signed by KBO League franchises. Kim Sung-keun , fresh off five straight Korean Series appearances with the SK Wyverns , was hired to manage the Wonders in late 2011. Long-time professional pitcher Lee Sang-hoon coached for

178-537: A baseball team in South Korea is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . KBO League The KBO League ( Korean :  KBO 리그 ) is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea , contested by ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most successful team, having won 12 of

267-549: A portmanteau of the "first syllables of the words for 'bat' and 'throw'") by hitters after stroking what they think will be a home run. In the KBO, the bat flipping tradition dates to the 1990s. Since the 2015 season, each team plays 144 games in the regular season, an increase from 128 games, along with the introduction of the KT Wiz to the league. Each team plays every other team 16 times. In general, Korean teams play six games

356-488: A .313 batting average, 167 home runs, and 591 RBI during that span. Foreign pitchers with extended careers in the KBO include Dustin Nippert , who compiled a win–loss record of 102–51 and 1,082 strikeouts in eight seasons (a foreign player record); and Danny Rios , who in six seasons was 90–59 with 807 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.01, which is the lowest career ERA of any foreign pitcher in the KBO. Josh Lindblom pitched in

445-562: A constitution somewhat less authoritarian than Park's Fourth Republic , but still held very broad executive power, and used extreme violence to maintain it. During his tenure, South Korea's economy would grow at its highest rate ever achieving the country's first trade surplus in 1986. After the June Struggle democratization movement of 1987, Chun conceded to allowing the December 1987 presidential election to be free and open. It

534-631: A dictator and his wider regime. Chun died on 23 November 2021 at the age of 90 after a relapse of myeloma . Chun was born on 18 January 1931 in Yulgok-myeon  [ ko ] , a poor farming town in Hapcheon County , Keishōnan-dō ( South Gyeongsang Province ), Korea, Empire of Japan . Chun's family is from the Wonsan Jeon Clan. His 14th generation ancestor, Jeon Je ( Korean :  전제 ; Hanja :  全霽 )

623-847: A few major sponsors: in 1993 the Binggrae Eagles became the Hanwha Eagles , in 1996 the Pacific Dolphins became the Hyundai Unicorns , and in 1999 the OB Bears became the Doosan Bears . The 1998 Korean Series was won by the Hyundai Unicorns for the franchise's first championship in 16 years of existence. (The team would go on to win the championship in 2000, 2003, and 2004.) In 1999 the season

712-497: A fifth team to the playoffs, with the introduction of the Wild Card game. In 2015 the league also increased the active roster size of each team, from 26 to 27 (of those, 25 may play in any one game). After a number of seasons of inflated offensive production, the KBO introduced a new " dejuiced " baseball before the 2019 season. The results showed in a significant decrease in runs per game and home runs per game. The 2020 season

801-726: A game by an umpire). In his first year Woods set a then-KBO record with 42 homers and won the MVP award (becoming the first foreign player to win the award). In five years in Korea, Woods hit 174 homers, drove in 510 runs, and batted .294. (He later found additional success in Nippon Professional Baseball .) Woods left Korea with the longest career of any foreign player in KBO history, a record later eclipsed by hitter Jay Davis and pitcher Dustin Nippert . Davis played seven seasons for Hanwha (1999–2002, 2004–2006), compiling

890-493: A giant. During the investigation, Chun personally gave money (US$ 500,000) from Park's slush fund to Park's daughter Park Geun-hye , who was 27 at the time. He was reprimanded for this by Jeong. In the following month Chun, along with Roh Tae-woo , Yu Hak-seong, Heo Sam-su, and others from the Hanahoe, continued taking advantage of the fragile political situation to grow Hanahoe's strength, courting key commanders and subverting

979-422: A large-scale festival called "Korean Breeze '81 [ Kukpung 81]", but it was largely ignored by the population. In 1983, Chun was the target of a failed assassination attempt by North Korean agents during a visit to Rangoon, Burma . The North Korean bombing killed 17 of Chun's entourage, including cabinet ministers. Four Burmese government officials were also killed in the attack. Chun's presidency occurred during

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1068-642: A latter-half pennant winner. The two pennant winners then played each other for the Korean Series championship. The 1982 campaign featured an 80-game (in total) season, which expanded to 100 games from 1983 to 1984. Rosters for each team were small (sometimes as few as 14 players), and many players in the league both pitched and batted. Bang Soo-won of the Haitai Tigers pitched the first no-hitter in Korean professional baseball history, in 1984 against

1157-799: A major, Chun was the deputy chief of operations for the Special Warfare Command 's battle headquarters, and later worked for the Supreme Council for Reconstruction again as the Chief Civil Affairs Officer. In 1963, Chun was given a position in the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) as Personnel Director. By 1969, he was senior advisor to the Army Chief of Staff. In 1970, holding the rank of colonel, Chun became

1246-531: A new constitution. However, he consistently resisted pleas to open up the regime. On 13 April 1987, Chun made the " April 13th Defense of the Constitution speech  [ ko ] ". He declared that the DJP candidate for president would be one of his military supporters, and his successor would be chosen in an indirect election similar to the one that elected Chun seven years earlier. That announcement enraged

1335-410: A number of associations: Sources: Chun Doo-hwan Chun Doo-hwan ( Korean :  전두환 ; Korean pronunciation: [tɕʌnduɦwɐn] or [tɕʌn] [tuɦwɐn] ; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean politician, army general and military dictator who served as the fifth president of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Chun usurped power after

1424-711: A one-party state since the imposition of the Yushin Constitution . In November, he implemented the Policy for Merger and Abolition of the Press . In January 1981, Chun formed his own party, the Democratic Justice Party ; however, for all intents and purposes, it was Park's Democratic Republican Party under a new name. Soon afterward, a new constitution was enacted. It was far less authoritarian than Park's Yushin Constitution; for instance, it enshrined

1513-596: A powerful team in the 2010s, winning the championship four times during six straight appearances in the Korean Series (from 2010 to 2015). The Doosan Bears were also a powerhouse, appearing in the Korean Series six times in the decade (including five straight appearances from 2015 to 2019), winning it three times. Expansion resumed in the 2010s, with the addition of the NC Dinos , located in Changwon , which joined

1602-488: A range longer than 180 km or capable of carrying greater than a 453 kg warhead. After receiving this promise, the Reagan administration decided to fully recognize Chun's military government. After his election in 1981, Chun completely rejected the presidency of Park, even going so far as to strike all references to Park's 1961 military coup from the constitution. Chun announced that he would be restoring justice to

1691-410: A repeat offense should not be immediately returned to society. During the winter of 1984, before declaring a moratorium on the Korean economy, Chun visited Japan, where he requested a loan for $ 6 billion. With the military coup taking power and crushing the democratization movements country-wide, the citizens' political demands were being ignored, and in this way the 3S Policy ( S ex, S creen, S ports)

1780-596: A salary cap. Since 2019, the total compensation for a foreign player has been capped at $ 1 million. The foreign hitters on each team are expected to provide power in the middle of the order, while the foreign pitchers are expected to anchor the starting rotation. As with foreign players in the NPB, many of the most celebrated foreign players came to Korea after not finding success in the Major Leagues . The KBO first began allowing foreign players in 1998, when each team

1869-572: A series of conflicts broke out in the capital. Jang Tae-wan , commander of the Capital Garrison Command, and Jeong Byeong Ju, commander of the special forces, were also arrested by the rebel troops. Major Kim Oh-rang, aide-de-camp of Jeong Byeong-ju, was killed during the gunfight. By the next morning, the Ministry of Defense and Army HQ were all occupied, and Chun was in firm control of the military. For all intents and purposes, he

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1958-416: A series of large pro-democracy rallies across the country. In hopes of gaining control over a situation that was rapidly getting out of hand, Roh made a speech promising a much more democratic constitution and the first direct presidential elections in 16 years. On 10 July 1987, Chun resigned as head of the DJP, remaining its Honorary Chairman but handing official leadership of the upcoming campaign to Roh. In

2047-538: A week, with every Monday off. In mid-July of every season, the best players participate in the KBO All-Star Game. The franchises participating are divided into two sets of teams: "Dream All-Stars" (Doosan, KT, Lotte, Samsung, and SSG) and "Nanum All-Stars" (Kia, Hanwha, LG, NC and Kiwoom). The KBO League's season culminates in its championship series, known as the KBO Korean Series . Currently,

2136-520: Is unacceptable. Therefore, they are only allowed to execute their duties upon receiving authorization from the Joint Investigation Headquarters." Chun subsequently ordered all intelligence reports to now be sent to his office at 8:00 am and 5:00 pm every day, so he could decide what information to give higher command. In one move, Chun had taken control of the entire nation's intelligence organizations. Chun then put

2225-529: The kempeitai in the past; in the winter of 1939 he murdered a police captain. Their family immediately fled to Jilin , Manchukuo , where they stayed in hiding for two years before returning. When Chun finally started attending elementary school again, he was two years behind his original classmates. In 1947, Chun began attending Daegu Vocational Middle School, located nearly 25 km from his home. Chun moved on to Daegu Vocational High School. After graduating from high school in 1951, Chun gained entry into

2314-447: The 16 December 1987 presidential election , Roh won the election with a plurality, the first free and fair national elections of any sort held in the country in two decades, after opposition candidates Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung split the popular vote. Chun finished out his term and handed over the presidency to Roh on 25 February 1988, the first peaceful transition of power in the history of South Korea. In February 1988, during

2403-470: The Cold War , and his foreign policies were based around combating communism from North Korea and Soviet Union . Japanese newspapers widely reported that Chun was the de facto leader of the country months before he made any move to become president. In 1982, Chun announced the " Korean People Harmony Democracy Reunification Program  [ ko ] ", but due to repeated rejections from North Korea

2492-618: The Gyeongsang Province with just a token membership reserved for a Cholla Province officer. Hanahoe's existence within a highly regimented and rigid hierarchical organization of the army was only possible because it was under the patronage of then President Park. On 26 October 1979, Park was assassinated by Kim Jae-kyu , Director of the KCIA , while at a dinner party. Secretly, Kim had invited General Jeong Seung-hwa , Army Chief of Staff, and Kim Jeong-seop, Vice-Deputy Director of

2581-424: The Hanwha Eagles at Cheongju Baseball Stadium . In the 2016 season , a new national record was set with more than 8 million spectators. There was a big increase of 1 million compared to the previous season. The record was broken again in the 2017 season with over 8.4 million fans at the regular season games. The Bears, Twins, Giants and Tigers all attracted over 1 million fans, and the average game attendance

2670-685: The Korea Military Academy (KMA). While there, he made several key friends among the students who would later play instrumental roles in helping Chun seize control of the country. He graduated in February 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the 11th class of the KMA. He later trained in the United States, specializing in guerilla tactics and psychological warfare , and married Lee Soon-ja,

2759-497: The Major League Baseball (MLB). The designated hitter rule is universal in KBO. Traditionally, South Korean professional baseball games have a maximum number of extra innings before a game is declared an official tie. The KBO abolished this limit for the 2008 season, but it was reinstated in 2009, with a 12-inning limit imposed during the regular season, and a 15-inning limit for playoff games. The first game

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2848-712: The Sammi Superstars . Mid-season 1985, the Sammi Superstars were sold and became known as the Chungbo Pintos , and the full season expanded to 110 games. Because the Samsung Lions won both half-season pennants (with a still single-season record .706 winning percentage), the Lions won the title outright so no Korean Series was played that year. Because of the lack of a postseason in 1985,

2937-711: The San Francisco Giants ' organization in 1968 after having found success in the NPB. Similarly, pitcher Park Chul-soon signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 1980. Neither Ernesto Carlos nor Park Chul-soon, however, made it to the Major Leagues.) Other Korean born players who have had lengthy MLB careers include outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and pitcher Byung-hyun Kim . In 2013, Hanwha Eagles ace Hyun-jin Ryu became

3026-483: The Special Committee for National Security Measures  [ ko ] (SCNSM), a junta -like organization, and installed himself as a member. On 17 July, he resigned his position as KCIA Director, and then held only the position of committee member. On 5 August, with full control of the military he effectively promoted himself to four star General and on 22 August he was discharged from active duty to

3115-479: The secrecy of correspondence , banned torture and invalidated confessions obtained by force. It still vested fairly broad powers in the president, albeit far less sweeping than those Park had held. He was then re-elected president by the National Conference that February , taking 90 percent of the delegates' vote against three minor candidates. However, Chun's election was a foregone conclusion after

3204-495: The 1979 assassination of president Park Chung Hee . Park was himself a military dictator who had ruled since 1961. Chun orchestrated the 12 December 1979 military coup , then cemented his military dictatorship in the 17 May 1980 military coup in which he declared martial law and later set up a concentration camp for "purificatory education". He established the Fifth Republic of Korea on 3 March 1981. He governed under

3293-415: The 1980s, winning the Korean Series five times — in 1983, 1986, and 1987 through 1989. They were led by pitcher Sun Dong-yol and infielders Kim Seong-han and Han Dae-hwa . Other KBO stars whose careers took off in the 1980s were sluggers Chang Jong-hoon and Lee Man-soo . From 1982 to 1988, the regular season was divided into two (a spring season and a fall season), with a first-half pennant winner and

3382-412: The 1990s were Eagles' pitcher Song Jin-woo , who eventually became the all-time KBO leader in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched; slugging catcher Park Kyung-oan , the first catcher in KBO history to hit 300 home runs; and stolen base king Jeon Jun-ho . But probably the most notable hitters to emerge from the 1990s were the Lions' Lee Seung-yuop and Yang Joon-hyuk , who between them now hold most of

3471-437: The 43 championships. In comparison with American Major League Baseball , ESPN reports that the KBO level of play "appears to be somewhere between Double-A and Triple-A , on average, though the best players are more likely to be MLB-quality than your typical Double-A league." Historically, the KBO is known for its vocal and exuberant fan base , as well as the widespread practice of bat flips ( ppa-dun ( Korean : 빠던 ),

3560-735: The Army reserves. Beginning in August 1980, citizens were subjected to organized violence under the name of social cleansing , which aimed at the elimination of social ills, such as violence, smuggling, illegal drugs, and deceptions. They were arrested without proper warrants and given ex parte rankings. Some 42,000 victims were enrolled in the Samchung re-education camp for "purificatory education". More than 60,000 people were arrested in six months between August 1980 and January 1981, including many innocent citizens. They faced violence and hard labour in

3649-419: The DJP's decisive victory at elections for the National Conference two weeks earlier. The DJP won a supermajority of 69.5 percent of the seats, three times as many as the independents and nine times as many as the opposition Democratic Korea Party . In 1980, in the face of increased tension with the U.S. over his military takeover, Chun issued a memorandum stating that his country would not develop missiles with

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3738-670: The Giants' first-baseman Dae-ho Lee , and the Eagles' first-baseman Kim Tae-kyun . Other notable players from the era include slugging third-basemen Lee Bum-ho and Choi Jeong , the Bears' designated hitter Hong Sung-heon , and the Twins' long-time outfielder Lee Byung-kyu . In 2001, the KBO returned to a single-division format. The Haitai Tigers became the Kia Tigers . From 2000 to 2012,

3827-637: The Giants' manager through the 2010 season.) Over the league's history, more than 200 Americans have played in the KBO; other countries which have produced many current and former KBO players include the Dominican Republic (with more than 80 players), and Venezuela (with more than 20 players). Several KBO players have had successful careers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Baek In-chun played professionally in Japan from 1963 to 1981, compiling 209 home runs, 776 RBI, and 1,831 hits in

3916-466: The KBO for five seasons, compiling a 63–34 record and 750 strikeouts. Rios was given the 2008 KBO League Most Valuable Player Award , Nippert was KBO MVP in 2016, and Lindblom won the award in 2019. American Jerry Royster was the first-ever non-Korean to take the helm of one of South Korea's professional baseball clubs when he was signed as manager of the Lotte Giants in 2007. (Royster served as

4005-605: The KBO's career offensive records. In 1990, MBC Chungyong became the LG Twins and an eighth franchise was added, the Ssangbangwool Raiders , who represented the North Jeolla Province region. From 1991 to 1998, the season increased to 126 games. The Lotte Giants won the Korean Series championship in 1992; the team has not won it since. There was little other change during this period except for

4094-527: The KBO. Bigger changes were made in 2000 when the Hyundai Unicorns moved from Incheon to Suwon , and a new franchise, the SK Wyverns , took their place in Incheon. The Ssangbangwool Raiders became defunct. The league's two-division structure slightly shifted as well, with SK taking Ssangbangwool's place in the Magic Division, and Lotte and Samsung switching divisions. Thus, the 2000 Dream League

4183-598: The KCIA Deputy Chief of Foreign Affairs in charge of running the day-to-day business of the KCIA. Major Park Jun-kwang, working under Chun at the time, later commented: In front of the most powerful organizations under the Park Chung Hee presidency, it surprised me how easily [Chun] gained control over them and how skillfully he took advantage of the circumstances. In an instant he seemed to have grown into

4272-498: The KCIA, to dinner in another room that night as well. Although Jeong Seung-hwa was neither present during nor involved in the shooting of the Park, his involvement later proved crucial. In the chaos that followed, Kim Jae-kyu was not arrested for many hours, as details of the incident were initially unclear. After some confusion over the constitutional procedures for presidential succession, Prime Minister Choi Kyu-ha finally ascended to

4361-502: The NPB include Sun Dong-yol , Lim Chang-yong , and Seung-hwan Oh (who led the NPB in saves in both 2014 and 2015). Several Korean players have also successfully transitioned from the KBO to American Major League Baseball , starting in 1994 with pitcher Chan Ho Park . (Prior to Park, the South Korea-born Mexican pitcher Ernesto Carlos [born as Lee Won-Kuk ] was signed to an American minor league contract with

4450-424: The NPB. (He returned to Korea for his final three seasons as a player.) Lee Seung-yuop , who holds the KBO records for career home runs, runs scored, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS, also played eight seasons in the NPB, accumulating an additional 159 home runs and 439 RBI. Other KBO hitters who had some success in the NPB include Kim Tae-kyun and Dae-ho Lee . Korean pitchers who have had an impact in

4539-567: The National Police. Chun had each person searched at the door on his way in, before having them seated and informing them of the President's death. Chun declared the KCIA held full responsibility for Park's assassination, and its organization was therefore under investigation for the crime. Chun stated that the KCIA would no longer be allowed to exercise its own budget: For the KCIA "to continue exercising full discretion of their budget

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4628-511: The Wonders in 2013–2014. Long-time Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder Kazuhiko Ishimine coached for the Wonders in 2014. The Wonders played 80 unofficial " friendly " games a year against Futures League teams. The franchise continuously applied to become officially part of the Futures League but were never accepted. The team's record during its final season, in 2014, was 43 wins, 25 losses, and 12 draws. This article about

4717-415: The advice of the incoming President-elect Kim Dae-jung , whom Chun's administration had sentenced to death some 20 years earlier. Chun and Roh were fined $ 203 million and $ 248 million respectively, amounts that were embezzled through corruption during their regimes, which were mostly never paid. In his final years, Chun was criticized for his unapologetic stance and the lack of remorse for his actions as

4806-583: The command of Chun. General John A. Wickham ( US Armed Forces in Korea ) reported that Chun's pessimistic assessment of the domestic situation and his stress on the North Korean threat only seemed to be a pretext for a move into the Blue House (the Korean presidential residence). To enforce martial law, troops were dispatched to various parts of the nation. The expanded martial law closed universities, banned political activities, and further curtailed

4895-564: The commander of the 29th Regiment, South Korean 9th Infantry Division , and participated in the Vietnam War . Upon returning to Korea in 1971, he was given command of the 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) and later promoted to brigadier general . In 1976 he worked as the deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service and was promoted to the rank of major general during his time there. In 1978 he became

4984-436: The commanding officer of the 1st Infantry Division . Finally, in 1979, he was appointed commander of Security Command , his highest position yet. Chun formed Hanahoe as a secret military club shortly after his promotion to general officer . It was predominantly composed of his fellow graduates from the 11th class of the KMA, as well as other friends and supporters. Membership was predominantly restricted to officers from

5073-567: The daughter of the KMA's commandant at the time of his attendance, in 1958. Chun, then a captain, led a demonstration at the KMA to show support for the May 16 coup in 1961 led by Park Chung Hee . Chun was subsequently made secretary to the commander of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction , placing him directly under Park. Chun was quickly promoted to major in 1962, while continuing to make powerful friends and acquaintances. As

5162-604: The democratization community and, in concert with several scandals from the Chun government that year, demonstrators began their movement again, starting with a speech at the Anglican Cathedral of Seoul. Two months later, he declared Roh Tae-woo as the DJP's candidate for president, which, by all accounts, effectively handed Roh the presidency. The announcement triggered the June Democracy Movement ,

5251-431: The end of Park Chung Hee's long authoritarian presidency. Chun needed to be recognized by the United States to legitimize his government. After his inauguration, Chun clamped down on out-of-school tutoring and banned individual teaching or tutoring. In September 1980, Chun repealed "guilt by association" laws. In 1981, Chun enacted "Care and Custody" legislation; Chun believed that criminals who finish their prison time for

5340-419: The exclusive home of the KBO League, marking the end of the league's free online broadcast era in South Korea. In June that same year, free streaming service SOOP acquired the rights to broadcast all KBO games outside of South Korea through the 2026 season. In addition to these ballparks, the Lotte Giants play some games at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium , the Samsung Lions at Pohang Baseball Stadium and

5429-451: The first player from the KBO to join an MLB team through the posting system . Altogether, 28 South Korean players have made it to the MLB as of 2024. In South Korea, most of the games are aired free-to-air on MBC , SBS and KBS2 , and at pay television on KBS N Sports , MBC Sports+ , SBS Sports and SPOTV1/2 . Between 2021 and 2023, SPOTV broadcast selected games in the ASEAN region. In 2024, streaming platform TVING became

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5518-409: The following season the KBO League raised the foreign-player limit to three for each team, but mandated that at least one foreign player had to be a hitter (again, with only two such players on the field at a time). American Tyrone Woods was the first notable import. Debuting with the Doosan Bears in 1998, Woods was the first foreign player to hit a home run (as well as the first to be ejected from

5607-458: The game remotely via Internet from their homes. The deal was for the 2020 season only and was not renewed for 2021. As with Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the KBO league places a cap on the number of foreign players allowed on club rosters. The foreign player limit is set at three (no more than two of them being pitchers), increased from two players from 2014. Foreign players can only sign single-season contracts, and they are restricted by

5696-400: The government to remove the fraud and corruption of Park's tenure. Chun's government did not have the considerable political influence enjoyed by Park's administration. His government could not ignore American influence, and he ended South Korea's nuclear weapons program. During this time, Chun was worried about the state of South Korean-U.S. relations, which had greatly deteriorated towards

5785-420: The league in 2013. It is the first team located in Changwon, the city having previously been the second home of the nearby Lotte Giants. The KBO played 128-game seasons in 2013–2014. In 2015, the KT Wiz became the league's tenth franchise. They play their home games in Suwon, which had not had a team since the Hyundai Unicorns' disbandment. Since 2015 the KBO has played a 144-game season each year, and has added

5874-524: The league to seven teams. From 1986 to 1988, the regular season shrank to a total of 108 games. 1988 saw the Cheongbo Pintos change ownership again, becoming the Pacific Dolphins . In 1989 the KBO eliminated the two half-season pennants, moving to a single season of 120 games. In the 1990s the Tigers were again dominant, winning the championship four times in the decade — 1991, 1993, 1996, and 1997. The Tigers were led by hitting-machine Lee Jong-beom and slugger Lee Ho-joon . Other KBO players who starred in

5963-476: The length of the regular season fluctuated between 126 and 133 games. Despite its string of championships in the early 2000s, the Hyundai Unicorns franchise was disbanded in 2008. It was re-founded as the Woori Heroes and moved to Mok-dong in Seoul. In 2010, the team's naming rights were sold to Nexen Tire and the team was renamed the Nexen Heroes until the end of the 2018 season, when its naming rights were sold to Kiwoom Securities . The Samsung Lions were

6052-423: The nation's intelligence gathering organizations. On 12 December 1979, Chun ordered the arrest of Jeong on charges of conspiring with Kim Jae-kyu to assassinate the Park. This order was made without authorization from Choi. On the night of Jeong's capture, 29th Regiment, 9th Division , along with the 1st and 3rd Airborne Brigades, invaded downtown Seoul to support the 30th and 33rd Security Group loyal to Chun, then

6141-412: The next year saw some major changes, with the adoption of a playoff system, in which the top two teams from each half-season played for the right to get to the Korean Series. 1986 also saw the OB Bears moving from Daejeon to share Jamsil Baseball Stadium with MBC Chungyong in Seoul. A new franchise, the Binggrae Eagles , joined the league, replacing the vacancy in Daejeon made by OB's move, and expanding

6230-538: The position of Acting President. Soon after, Jeong named Chun's Security Command to head up the investigation into the assassination. Chun immediately ordered his subordinates to draw up plans for the creation of an all-powerful "Joint Investigation Headquarters". On 27 October, Chun called for a meeting in his commander's office. Invited were four key individuals now responsible for all intelligence collection nationwide: KCIA Deputy Chief of Foreign Affairs, KCIA Deputy Chief of Domestic Affairs, Attorney General, and Chief of

6319-425: The presidency of Roh, Chun was named chair of the National Statesman Committee and so wielded considerable influence in South Korean politics. In that year, the DJP lost its majority in the National Assembly elections to opposition parties, paving the way for the so-called "Fifth Republic Hearings." The National Assembly explored the events of the Gwangju Democratization Movement and where responsibility should lay for

6408-516: The press. The event of 17 May meant the beginning of another military dictatorship. Many civilians were growing unhappy with the military presence in their cities, and on 18 May, the citizens of Gwangju organized into what became known as the Gwangju Democratization Movement . Chun ordered it to be immediately suppressed, sending in crack military troops with tanks and helicopter gunships to retake City Hall and ordered

6497-574: The program was unable to get off the ground. Also from 1986 to 1988, he and President Corazon Aquino of the Philippines established talks between the two countries for strengthening Philippine-South Korean economic, social and cultural friendship. From the start of his presidency, Chun began grooming Noh Shin-yeong as his eventual successor. In 1980, while working as ambassador to the Geneva Representation Bureau, Noh

6586-486: The re-education camp. In August 1980, Choi, who had long since become little more than a figurehead, announced that he would be resigning the presidency. On 27 August , the National Conference for Unification, the nation's electoral college, gathered in Jangchung Arena . Chun was the sole candidate. Out of 2525 members, 2524 voted for Chun with one vote counted as invalid, thus with a tally of 99.96% in favor (it

6675-472: The top five teams qualify for the post-season based on win–loss records. The lowest-qualifying teams face off in a step-ladder playoff system, where each winner then faces the next-highest team, culminating in the Korean Series against the top-ranked team. Any playoff games ending in an official tie are replayed, thereby raising the possibility of a close series containing more than the scheduled five or seven games. The KBO League rules are essentially those of

6764-561: The troops to exercise full force. This led to a bloody massacre over the next two days, ultimately leading to the collapse of the Gwangju Democratization Movement and the deaths of at least 200 Gwangju activists. For this, he was called "The Butcher of Gwangju" by many people, especially among the students. In June 1980, Chun ordered the National Assembly to be dissolved. He subsequently created

6853-556: Was a military officer who was executed for violating the orders of Gwon Yul during the Imjin War . Chun was the fourth son out of ten children to Chun Sang-woo and Kim Jeong-mun. Chun's oldest two brothers, Yeol-hwan and Kyuu-gon, died in an accident when he was an infant. Chun grew up knowing his remaining older brother Ki-hwan and his younger brother Kyeong-hwan. Around 1936, Chun's family moved to Daegu , where he began attending Horan Elementary School. Chun's father had run-ins with

6942-559: Was above 11,600 fans. This increase in popularity has been accompanied by the building of larger and more modern ballparks to further enhance the fan experience and their expenditures during games, such as Gwangju-Kia Champions Field (2014), Gocheok Sky Dome (2016), Daegu Samsung Lions Park (2016), and Changwon NC Park (2019). The KBO League has a big number of female fans; the 2024 season data has shown that approximately 54% of ticket holders were female, and most of them were in their 20s. KBO League players and coaches have formed

7031-419: Was allowed to sign up to two imports. Traditionally, teams chose one hitter and one pitcher, although there were exceptions. (In 2001 and 2002, KBO teams were allowed three foreign-born players, but only two of them could be on the field at the same time.) By 2012, teams were using all their foreign-player allotments on pitchers, and there were no more foreign hitters in the KBO. After this happened again in 2013,

7120-490: Was composed of Doosan, Haitai, Hyundai, and Samsung; while the 2000 Magic League was composed of Hanwha, LG, Lotte, and SK. Parity ruled the 2000s, with the Unicorns and Lions each winning three titles, and the upstart Wyverns winning two. The hard-luck Doosan Bears appeared in the Korean Series five times in the decade but only won it once, in 2001. Stars who emerged in the 2000s include all-time KBO hit king Park Yong-taik ,

7209-751: Was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic , but finally started play in May 2020, with no fans in attendance. In response to the lack of live sports programming due to the pandemic, ESPN and the KBO League entered into an agreement to broadcast six games weekly for the 2020 season. The Opening Day game between the NC Dinos and Samsung Lions was broadcast as the first game under the agreement that night. Karl Ravech , Jason Benetti , Boog Sciambi , Eduardo Perez , and Jessica Mendoza , along with various guests, broadcast

7298-453: Was eventually persuaded to reverse his position and ceased pushing for Noh to succeed him. The 1981 constitution restricted the president to a single seven-year term. Unlike his predecessors, Chun was unable to amend the document in order to run again in 1987. The constitution explicitly stated that any amendments extending a president's term would not apply to the incumbent, thus foreclosing any attempt to extend Chun's tenure short of adopting

7387-914: Was expanded to 132 games, and the KBO separated into two divisions — the Dream League and the Magic League. The 1999 Dream League consisted of the Doosan Bears, the Lotte Giants, the Haitai Tigers, and the Hyundai Unicorns; the 1999 Magic League consisted of the Hanwha Eagles, the LG Twins, the Samsung Lions, and the Ssangbangwool Raiders. That year the Eagles — in their 14th season — won their franchise's first (and only) Korean Series championship, after 14 years in

7476-421: Was now the de facto leader of the country. In early 1980, Chun was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general , and he took up the position of acting director of the KCIA. On 14 April, Chun was officially installed as director of the KCIA. On 17 May 1980, Chun expanded martial law to the entire country, due to stated rumors of North Korean infiltration into South Korea. The KCIA manipulated these rumors under

7565-489: Was passed. Based on right-wing Japanese activist Sejima Ryuzo 's proposal, Chun tried to appeal to the citizens in order to ensure the success of the 1988 Seoul Olympics preparations. Chun rapidly enacted various measures to this end, forming professional baseball and soccer leagues, starting the broadcast of color TV throughout the nation as a whole, lessening censorship on sexually suggestive dramas and movies, making school uniforms voluntary, and so forth. In 1981, Chun held

7654-525: Was played on March 27, 1982, between the Samsung Lions and the MBC Chungyong at Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium , Seoul . Then-president Chun Doo-hwan threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The 1982 charter teams of its first season were: The first Korean Series featured the Bears versus the Lions, with OB winning the championship 4-games-to-1, with a tie. The Haitai Tigers dominated

7743-580: Was recalled and made Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1982, he was installed as the Director of the Security Planning Bureau , and in 1985, he was named Prime Minister. When that became widely known, those supporting Chun's regime were highly critical of his choice of successor. His supporters, mostly those with heavy military backgrounds, believed that the proper way to groom a successor was by military duties, not political positions. Chun

7832-466: Was widely speculated at that time that one invalid vote was purposely rigged as to differentiate Chun from North Korea's Kim Il Sung , who regularly claimed 100% support in North Korea's elections). He was officially inaugurated into office on 1 September 1980. On 17 October, he abolished all political parties—including Park's Democratic Republican Party , which had essentially ruled the country as

7921-486: Was won by his close friend and ally Roh Tae-woo , who would continue many of Chun's policies during his own rule into the 1990s. In 1996, Chun was sentenced to death for his role in the suppression of the Gwangju Uprising which led to the deaths of hundreds, possibly thousands, of citizens. Chun was pardoned the following year, along with Roh who had been sentenced to 17 years, by President Kim Young-sam , on

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