Cho Sung-min, 40, a pitcher who played for Japan‘s Yomiuri Giants and later belonged to South Korea’s Hanwha Eagles, was discovered hanged with a belt.
He hinted at committing suicide in a message he sent to the 40-year-old girlfriend over the Kakao Talk, a free mobile messenger service, a police officer said on condition of anonymity.
The message only said: "Thank you for everything you've done for me. Even though without me, stand firm." The words were construed by police as his intention to commit suicide.
No suicide note has been found, police said.
Police said they are investigting the exact cause of his death.
According to police, after drinking liquor with Cho at her apartment at night on Jan. 5, she left the apartment as she had an appointment. When she returned home, she found him dead and reported it to police.
Police said Cho frequently visited the apartment she rents.
Cho married Choi, a top actress, in 2000. But the couple divorced four years later.
Choi committed suicide in 2008 after suffering from depression.
The couple is survived by one daughter, 12, and one son, 10.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com