The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced that Joong-il Ryu will manage the National Team in the WBSC Premier12, presented by RAXUS.
In 2023, Ryu led Korea to an Asian Games gold medal and a second-place finish in the Asia Professional Baseball Championship.
The Korean National Team will begin the season with exhibition games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB) ahead of the regular season series the two clubs will contest in Seoul on 20 and 21 March.
Born in 1963, Ryu played shortstop from 1987 to 1999 for the Samsung Lions of the KBO league. He transitioned to coach in 2000 and became the manager in 2011. He led the Lions to four consecutive Korean Series titles. From 2018 to 2020, Ryu managed the LG Twins.
The KBO acnowledged in a press release Ryu's role in "ensuring a smooth generational shift."
"Based on his success in this area, he has a deep understanding of players who will form the team's nucleus at the 2024 WBSC Premier12 and the 2026 World Baseball Classic," the KBO added. "We also wanted to ensure continuity at the top."
