Permanent disqualified owner appears in overseas camp Lee Jang-seok's landmine, another explosion, and KBO response?

Jul 17, 2025

Permanent disqualified owner appears in overseas camp Lee Jang-seok's landmine, another explosion, and KBO response?
Sportschosun DB



"It was a simple visit to the club's shareholder status.", "If it's not directly involved, it's not a problem..."

It exploded again. The landmines from former Kiwoom Heroes CEO Lee Jang-seok continue to explode. Kiwoom is in a 'Grogi' state, but it's hard to wake up because Kang Punch keeps flying in.

The detonator was simultaneously replaced by head coach Hong Won-ki, general manager Ko Hyung-wook, and head coach Kim Chang-hyun on the 14th. General manager Huh Seung-pil and acting head coach Seol Jong-jin were appointed.




Kiwoom said "President Wi Jae-min led ", but doubts were amplified that President Wi, a prosecutor-turned-lawyer, would not directly conceive such a huge aftermath. After that, there were doubts that there might be former CEO Lee, who was permanently disqualified from KBO.

Former CEO Lee cannot intervene in the management and operation of the club at all. There is no authority to decide and change the director and general manager. However, you can express your intention to the president, and the president can carry it out. If this happens, it can be suspected that the former CEO Lee is actually running the club.

On the 15th, it was reported that the daughter of the former CEO Lee was hired and worked as an intern at Kiwoom. This was also recommended by President WeiThe club explained, but it was not enough to clear the suspicion that the daughter of the former CEO Lee used a 'Daddy Chance'.




On the 16th, the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association issued an unusual official statement condemning Kiwoom's management of the club, further increasing the controversy. It was the first time since the pro's launch that the Players Association actually attacked a particular club.

Permanent disqualified owner appears in overseas camp Lee Jang-seok's landmine, another explosion, and KBO response?
Active head coach Seol Jong-jin of the Kiwoom Heroes had his first meeting with the team at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the afternoon of the 15th. Acting Seol is greeting in front of the players. Gocheok = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.7.15/
In less than a day, another bomb from the former CEO Lee exploded on the 17th.

A media outlet reported that former CEO Lee visited the finishing camp site held in Taiwan in November last year. It is an awkward picture that the owner, who was permanently disqualified, visits the players' training ground. Beyond the controversy, it is clear that it is a move that is not understood in common sense.




An official from Kiwoom said "It is true that former CEO Lee visited the camp site. However, President Wi invited him as a shareholder of the club. He explained, "I didn't go to Taiwan to see the camp, but I stopped by the ballpark after I had another schedule in Taiwan on my personal schedule." Former CEO Lee was permanently disqualified as the owner of the team, but he is still the largest shareholder with a 69.26% stake in the Heroes. The official said "Regardless of permanent disqualification, shareholder status remains unrestricted," he stressed.

KBO is also continuing to watch the Kiwoom crisis. Regarding the preferential recruitment of children, he expressed his position that "Since intern recruitment is also related to the management of the club, it can be a problem if there is a circumstance in which the former CEO Lee was involved.'

Permanent disqualified owner appears in overseas camp Lee Jang-seok's landmine, another explosion, and KBO response?
Sportschosun DB
However, a high-ranking KBO official said about former CEO Lee's visit to the camp "It is not easy to raise questions legally about going to the camp as a shareholder as explained by the Kiwoom club." KBO's permanent disqualification is aimed at preventing former CEO Lee from making decisions about the operation of the baseball team. It is not easy to sanction up to this point if you did not enter the training ground and gave instructions, but simply watched the training quietly. "When it comes to activities as a shareholder, there is nothing to say about it." If this is a problem, there should be high-intensity items such as 'no club-related facilities or on-site access', but not to that extent.

Any shareholder may be interested in the company in which they own shares.

However, former CEO Lee is a special shareholder. He was a former owner and was banned from running the club. By law, it is right not to act to create a 'sharp' even though it may not be a problem with regulations. It is not a problem that he visited the camp, but it may be misunderstood that such a move is directly or indirectly affecting the club's decision.

If Taiwan had a personal schedule, wouldn't it be a decision to return home after just carrying out that schedule 'not have been re-strung under the oak tree'.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.