Manager Ryu Ji-hyun: "Staff Couldn't Even Sleep... Won Thanks to KBO's Support"

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun of the South Korean national baseball team, who led the team to a gold medal, stated that the victory was the fruit of full support day and night from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).

Speaking before boarding his return flight at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, today (September 28), Manager Ryu said, "The Asian Games can present environmental difficulties in various ways compared to the KBO League. The KBO invested a lot of time and supported us to maximize the players' performance."

He continued, "As far as I know, many staff members provided support without even being able to sleep. This served as a major driving force behind our winning the gold medal. I am grateful to KBO President Huh Koo-youn and all the executives and staff members."

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games saw many delegations struggle due to poor organization by the host committee.

Teams competing in baseball were not guaranteed proper training environments due to transportation issues and other problems.

In particular, laundry services were not properly operated at the hotel where the baseball teams stayed, leading to absurd situations where players from some countries, including Taiwan, had to do their own laundry at dawn.

However, the South Korean national baseball team minimized these problems.

The KBO directly secured and operated baseball training facilities and shuttle buses near Nagoya, and contracted with an external laundry service to create an environment where players could focus solely on training and games.

Ultimately, the baseball team defeated Taiwan in the group stage and Japan in the final to achieve its fifth consecutive tournament title.

Manager Ryu said, "The Asian Games are a tournament with immense pressure. Our players overcame it with strong mental fortitude. In the final, we faced difficulties as we failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities from the 1st to the 3rd inning, but we maintained focus until the end and won. I am grateful to the players."

He added, "Overall team captain Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles) and pitcher group captain Kwak Bin (Doosan Bears) led the younger players well. I think everyone united as one to produce this precious result."

Captain Noh Si-hwan said, "It was disappointing when we lost to Japan in the Super Round, but since there were remaining games, I tried to forget it quickly and focus on the next match. There were many young players in this tournament, so we tried to approach every game in a bright atmosphere. I am thankful to the younger players who followed along."

(Photo courtesy of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.