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Park Byeong-ho, the main hitter of Kiwoom in professional baseball, is expected to leave the team. KT, desperate for a big gun, is actively negotiating with Park Byeong-ho.
This is reporter Bae Jung-hoon.
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Kiwoom, who has been negotiating FA negotiations with Park Byung-ho, said in a phone call with SBS, "We are doing our best," but said, "All that is left is Park Byung-ho's choice."
In addition, junior Lee Jung-hoo also hinted at the upcoming breakup by posting memories with Park Byeong-ho on his personal SNS.
KT, which has shown the greatest interest in signing Park Byung-ho, is moving quickly.
A KT official said, "We are preparing to reinforce weak positions," and "we will decide whether to recruit an external free agent within this week as soon as possible."
It has been confirmed that KT, which is trying to fill the void in the center hitter, has already negotiated with Park Byeong-ho as Yuhan-jun retired.
As rumors spread that Park Byeong-ho's transfer would be decided tomorrow (29th), some Kiwoom fans even foretold a truck protest.
Park Byeong-ho, who transferred from LG in 2011 and served as the Heroes for 9 seasons, and won the home run trophy five times, has had difficulties negotiating with his original team due to the sluggishness that has continued over the past two years.
To recruit Park Byeong-ho, KT has to pay a huge amount of 2.25 billion won, which is 150% of this year's annual salary, as compensation, but it is classified as a C-grade FA, so there is no need to pay a compensation player.
The meaning of 'franchise star' is gradually fading as four large free agents, including Na Seong-beom, Park Gun-woo, Park Hae-min, and Son Ah-seop, have moved to Kiwoom, and even Park Byung-ho is expected to leave Kiwoom.
(Video coverage: Kim Won-bae, video editing: Woo-jung Woo)