The Offical Korea WBC Thread

[Jake83]

After what I have seen from this team beating Japan,Mexico and the US in a row and I believe they deserve their own thread

[Cubano100%]

That is right! I always like them better than Japan in Asia, but the hoopla is always about Japan.

[Knick9]

Remember this name: Seung Yeop Lee

The more he gets on base, the more I pull for him. He is a on a hot streak now, and if he can hit homers off Rodrigo Lopez and Cy Young Candidate Dontrelle Willis who are MLB pitchers, then Lee has a legit case to make it to the big leagues.

[Andruw]

Korea playing for more than pride
03/14/2006 10:23 PM ET
By Stephen Ellsesser / Special to MLB.com

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Mostly removed from egos and millionaires, Team Korea is blazing its way through the World Baseball Classic.
Sure, the Koreans want national glory, but for more than a third of the team, motivation for the Classic runs a lot deeper.

They are playing for a waiver from compulsory military service.

The Korean Baseball Organization has petitioned for Team Korea's players to have their military service waived if the team makes the semifinals in San Diego, a strong possibility after beating Team USA on Monday.

Korean men are required to serve in the military for two years, sometimes closer to three years, and it is mandatory for all. If they refuse, it can mean prison time. But that usually isn't a problem.

"Not many want it much these days," said Hyon-Tak Hwang, minister for information at the Korean Embassy in Japan, of the exemption. "It is important for their status, their future social life. They would not apply for it."

However, most "youngsters" are not talented athletes with aspirations of professional baseball careers.

According to Hwang, a veteran official who once sat on the committee that reviews petitions for exemption, the Korean government recognizes the necessity of loosening the rules sometimes. All young men undergo an examination to make sure they are medically safe to serve, for example. And others provide more specialized services.

The Korean government will exempt any Olympic medialist or Asian Games medalist, not just gold medalists. Some musicians and artists also have been excused after winning an international competition.

"There are some people who play a big role for the image of Korea worldwide, and that's who these people are," said Hwang. "Basically there is a point system, and a committee of government officials from various departments takes a look at things. For athletes, it has to be determined if the skill is still upgrading."

Typically, Korean men will enlist at about age 20, right in the middle of college. Taking two years-plus away at that time can be devastating to a young athlete trying to make it to a higher level.

"It's pretty tough, especially for a player down there doing well," said longtime Major Leaguer Chan-Ho Park. "Sometimes almost three years? It's a long time. It is huge for that athlete. Who can come back from that?"

Not many, from the looks of Team Korea's World Baseball Classic roster.

The bulk of the players earned their exemptions by playing in the Olympics or Asian Games, including Park. Two -- veteran domestic products Jae-Gul Kim and Jong-Kook Kim -- actually went the full two years.

Once the time is waived, players must attend a one-month boot camp, and they are required to suit up for Team Korea in all international competitions for three years. Do it for your country with a bat and glove instead of a rifle.

"Everybody is very motivated, and we can see that," manager In-Sik Kim said. "In Korea, if you get a gold medal, you don't have to be drafted into the army. I don't know how special merit would work when we survive the round in America, but I think we deserve a benefit like that."

The KBO is very serious about getting this exemption for the players who need it. So serious, in fact, it has issued a gag order on the 11 players who would be affected if the government grants the petition as well as forbidding KBO interpreters from asking questions to those who have.

Players can talk to the media, but they aren't supposed to talk about the military waiver.

Some of the 11 hoping for the exemption probably could get it without the World Baseball Classic, including Major Leaguers Hee-Seop Choi, Jung-Keun Bong and Sun-Woo Kim. Because of their contracts abroad, they could be granted the same exemption.

No one on Team Korea is complaining about the requirement, but Park feels strongly about the Classic as an exit clause.

"A rule is a rule," Park said. "We want to win for Korea, so why not do it for the whole team? Why not make it so they don't have to be in the military?"

If the Korean government grants the KBO's request, it would be a victory for MLB Commissioner Bud Selig as well. The success of the World Baseball Classic is of great interest to Selig, and if the Classic were to gain equal standing to the Olympics and Asian Games as a release from military service, it could be a big step.

"It's a measuring stick not just for one country, but for all the countries," Selig said. "It is a measuring stick all over the world, and that's why you have to see what it means to the different countries."

Always in the back of his players' heads, In-Sik Kim knows, is the hope of approval.

"If they are taken away that long, they can't be professional baseball players," he said. "It affects their condition too much. That's why we must try hard."

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[Perseas]

This does not sound that foreign to me... Over here, military service is still mandatory. I served 18 months, from May1999 to Novermber 2000, but it is 12 months now. And over here, Olympic and world champions are automatically appointed officers in the military or Police, Fire dept, etc etc... Not only are they exempted, but they get a lifetime salary as well...

[AznInvasion]

I AM THE ONLY PERSON TO PICK KOREA IN THE POLL THAT ASKED WHO WILL WIN THE WBC? Gotta give me some props because their chances are a lot better than what people once believed.

[Shoeless]

I don't get it...why doesn't the army just have a baseball team? Compulsory service in the Red Army never stopped Larionov, Fetisov, Kharlamov, Tretiak etc...(sorry, non-Canadians--those are names of all-time great Soviet hockey stars) from playing; in fact, the Central Red Army Wings were for years probably the best team in the world. During the war, American baseball stars joined up and even saw combat, but still managed to keep their baseball skills up (although the ones we hear about were established stars--maybe it's different for a 20-year old at a crucial learning stage) by playing while in the service. Compulsory service isn't that rare...it seems like most countries find ways to work around it.

[laee3]

it was a good game.

[Andruw]

'Lion King' roars for Korea in Classic
Lee's offensive exploits help carry club to semifinals

http://ww2.worldbaseballclassic.com/2006/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060316&content_id=1352852&vkey=wbc_news&fext=.jsp&sid=wbc

[traveling]

Month by month, I didn't see this. Now how about them?