Anchor: Professional baseball in South Korea is enjoying its heyday as the country’s representative cultural item after Team Korea won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finished runner-up in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and came in fourth in the 2006 WBC. The team met up on Monday ahead of the World Baseball Classic next month. Jang Souie tells us about the team’s aspirations for the top international baseball tournament.
Report: South Korea’s national baseball team led by Head Coach Ryu Joong-il gathered at a hotel in Seoul Monday, the last day of the Lunar New Year holiday. The team will fly to Taiwan on Tuesday to prepare for the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Critics have dismissed the team’s prospects for a successful run, considering South Korea is without aces Choo Shin-soo, Ryu Hyun-jin, Kim Kwang-hyun and Bong Jung-keun this year.
But Samsung Lions power hitter Lee Seung-yeop will be swinging for Team Korea this tournament, and he discussed his hopes for the team during its launching ceremony last month.
[Sound bite: Lee Seung-yeop, WBC national team player]
“Although a few good players will not be able to play on the national team, I will try my best to work a miracle as I believe we can be the strongest when people say we are weak.”
Head coach Ryu Joong-il is also determined to win the tournament.
[Sound bite: Ryu Joong-il, WBC national team head coach]
“I will try to fill the country with the sound of the people’s heartbeat and applause.”
Team Korea will unpack in Chiayi County, Taiwan on Tuesday where it will adapt to the local environment and start training for two weeks. The national team will also hold two practice games with South Korean professional baseball team the NC Dinos to gear up for the tournament.
After training ends, Team Korea will travel to Taichung for the World Baseball Classic. South Korea will play in Group B with host country Taiwan, as well as the Netherlands and Australia for the first round of the main tournament.
The national team will compete against the Netherlands on March second, followed by a match against Australia and Taiwan. The top two teams will advance to the second round of the main tournament.
