The South Korean baseball team, aiming for a fifth consecutive championship, will begin its gold medal quest on September 21 with a match against Taiwan. Attention is focused on the potential military service exemption for infielder Kim Do-young, who has dominated the KBO this season.
The team will face Taiwan in the first match of the B group at 6:30 PM at Okazaki Central Comprehensive Park Baseball Stadium in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Taiwan is considered South Korea's strongest rival in this tournament, featuring a roster of elite players from both Major League Baseball's minor leagues and its domestic league. This is seen as a stronger lineup compared to Japan's team, which is made up of amateur players. South Korea previously lost to Taiwan in the group stage of the Hangzhou tournament.
In response, the South Korean team has promised a full effort for this match. Ace pitcher Kwak Bin will start, with all other pitchers ready in the bullpen. Taiwan is expected to surprise South Korea by starting Lin Yi-wei, which may pose challenges for South Korean batters early in the game as they adjust to an unfamiliar opponent.
Particularly noteworthy is the focus on Kim Do-young's military service exemption. He is the only player to hit 40 home runs in the KBO this season and is in a competitive race for the MVP title alongside LG infielder Austin Dean.
Moreover, Kim Do-young has reportedly attracted interest from multiple Major League Baseball teams, thanks to his impressive power and speed. Some speculate that if he receives a military service exemption and maintains his current performance, he could secure a contract exceeding $113 million over six years through the posting system, similar to outfielder Lee Jung-hoo's deal with the San Francisco Giants.
Additionally, the roster includes 16 players who have yet to fulfill their military service obligations, including Kim Do-young, Kim Young-woo, Moon Hyun-bin, Jo Hyung-woo, Jeong Jun-jae, Bae Chan-seung, Lee Jae-hyun, So Hyung-jun, Oh Won-seok, Choi Jun-yong, Kim Jin-wook, Seong Young-tak, Park Jae-hyun, Choi Min-seok, Park Jun-soon, and Kim Geon-hee. These players are also key members of their respective teams.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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