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| ▲ This image provided by the NC Dinos on May 3, 2022, shows the Korea Baseball Organization club's emblem. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This image provided by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on March 5, 2022, shows the official emblem for the 2022 KBO season. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) baseball team-coaches
(2nd LD) Baseball club's coach detained after beating up fellow coach in bar
(ATTN: UPDATES with club's statement in paras 3-5)
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- A coach of the South Korean baseball club NC Dinos has been taken into police custody on charges of assaulting his fellow coach in a bar during the early hours of Tuesday, police said.
Police in Daegu, a city the Dinos are visiting for a regular season series in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), said Tuesday that the offending coach was placed under detention after apparently beating up the other coach in a Daegu bar. The incident happened around 3:40 a.m. Tuesday, police added.
Police initially withheld the identities of the coaches, but the Dinos revealed the names in their public apology issued Tuesday afternoon. They said fielding coach Han Kyu-sik is the one facing assault charges, and Yong Duk-han, who works with catchers, was the apparent victim.
The Dinos immediately terminated Han's contract and released him. Yong was relieved of his duties and was removed from the active roster.
"We will take stern measures as necessary after the end of the investigation, and we will be transparent with our future steps," the Dinos said in their statement. "We'd like to apologize to baseball fans for our lack of professionalism on and off the field."
According to police, Yong was treated for injuries at a local hospital and was discharged Tuesday morning.
The Dinos are in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to play the Samsung Lions for three games starting Tuesday.
The Dinos said the incident has been reported to the KBO headquarters in Seoul and that they are trying to ascertain more facts.
The KBO will open disciplinary proceedings once the Dinos file a formal report of the case.
The Dinos are mired in last place this season at 8-18. They have dropped their past two games.
The incident is the latest black eye to the Dinos, a team with a recent history of off-field problems ranging from match fixing and impaired driving to illegal drinking parties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last summer, the Dinos had four of their regulars suspended by the KBO for violating COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
These and other misconduct away from the field have been blamed for keeping fans away from the ballparks, as the KBO teams have been struggling to fill their seats despite the absence of restrictions on crowds.
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