Korean Police Baseball Team

Korean Police Baseball Team (Korean: 경찰 야구단) was a South Korean amateur baseball team that existed from 2005 to 2019, and competed in the KBO Futures League from 2006 through 2019.[1] Their home stadium was Byeokje Baseball Stadium in Goyang. The team was controlled by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which itself is a division of the National Police Agency.

Police
경찰
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
LeagueFutures League
LocationGoyang, Gyeonggi-do
BallparkByeokje Baseball Stadium
Year foundedDecember 1, 2005 (2005-12-01)[1]
Year foldedAugust 31, 2019 (2019-08-31)[1]
ColorsBlue and white
         
OwnershipSeoul Metropolitan Police Agency
CoachLee Han-jin (pitching coach)[1]
ManagerYoo Seung-an[1]
Uniforms

Home

Away

The Police were not affiliated with any single KBO League team, instead fielding a roster made of players from many of the KBO franchises. Over the Police team's history, however, it had a preponderance of players from the Doosan Bears franchise. Notable KBO League players who at one time served on the Police team included Choi Hyoung-woo, Yang Eui-ji, Min Byung-hun, Jung Soo-bin, Rhee Dae-eun, Son Seung-lak, and Won Jong-hyun.[1]

Structure

Many professional players who were serving compulsory military service[1] played for the Police team,[2] usually for a term of two seasons. Players were considered part of the auxiliary police, and completed their national duty as police officers after they finished recruit training.[3]

The Korea Baseball Organization provided the Police team about 1.5 billion won ($1.3 million) in operating expenses each year.[1]

History

The Police team was the champion of the Northern League division of the Futures League in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

In 2017 the South Korean government announced it was abolishing the auxiliary police by the year 2023; the National Police Agency immediately stopped recruiting athletes and promised to disband its sports teams (including the Police team) by the following year.[3] The Police team was disbanded after the 2019 Futures League season; the team played its final game on July 10, 2019, against the Hanwha Eagles Futures League team.[4]

Altogether, more than 200 players fulfilled their military duties on the Police team during its existence.[1]

Notable former players
Name Years played KBO Team
Byeon Jin-su2016–2017Doosan Bears
Cho Young-hun2008–2009Samsung Lions
Choi Hyoung-woo2006–2007Samsung Lions
Choi Jae-hoon[4]2009–2011Doosan Bears
Han Dong-min2014–2016SK Wyverns
Hong Sang-sam2015–2016Doosan Bears
Hur Kyoung-min2010–2011Doosan Bears
Jang Sung-woo2012–2013Lotte Giants
Jeon Jun-woo2015–2016Lotte Giants
Jung Soo-bin2017–2018Doosan Bears
Kim In-tae2014–2015Doosan Bears
Kim Kang-ryul2009–2010Doosan Bears
Kim Min-woo2005–2007Woori Heroes[lower-alpha 1]
Kim Tae-gun[4]2018–2019NC Dinos
Kook Hae-seong2009–2012Doosan Bears
Min Byung-hun2011–2012Doosan Bears
Oh Jeong-bok2012–2013NC Dinos
Park Kun-woo2011–2012Doosan Bears
Rhee Dae-eun2017–2018KT Wiz
Son Seung-lak2008–2009Woori Heroes[lower-alpha 1]
Won Jong-hyun2015NC Dinos
Yang Eui-ji[4]2008–2009Doosan Bears
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See also

References
Notes
  1. Before playing with the Police, played with the Hyundai Unicorns, who went defunct after the 2006 season
General
  1. Kim Hyo-Kyung. "Woop-woop! That’s the sound of da Police Team disbanding," Korea JoongAng Daily (July 5, 2019).
  2. KIM HYO-KYUNG, PARK SO-YOUNG. "Military service looms over KBO," Korea JoongAng Daily (April 16, 2019).
  3. S. Korea baseball community denounces abrupt recruitment halt at police club," The Korea Times (November 14, 2018).
  4. Kim Hyo-kyung. "Kim Tae-gun prepares for return to the big leagues," Korea JoongAng Daily (July 5, 2019).
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