Non-factual Choi Hyung-woo to Samsung, the agent denied...KIA, which was in the process of negotiation, also caught me off guard

Nov 26, 2025

Non-factual Choi Hyung-woo to Samsung, the agent denied...KIA, which was in the process of negotiation, also caught me off guard
The KIA-Samsung match at Lions Park in Daegu on the 30th. When Oh Seung-hwan took the mound in the top of the ninth inning, Choi Hyung-woo comes out as a pinch hitter to greet. Daegu = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.9.30/



"We're still in the process of negotiations."

It is a bolt out of the blue for the KIA Tigers. He is still in the process of negotiations with veteran FA Choi Hyung-woo, but on the 26th 'Choi Hyung-woo is nearing an agreement with Samsung on a three-year, three-billion won contractThere were reports that '

After checking with both KIA and Samsung, it is not true. It is true that both teams are competing to recruit Choi Hyung-woo, but neither team has signed enough to declare the end of the negotiations. If the announcement is imminent, there is no reason for both clubs to deny the contract.




Immediately after the report that the contract between Choi Hyung-woo and Samsung was completed, an KIA official said "It was confirmed that it was not true. Agent Choi Hyung-woo confirmed that I should contact him", he explained.

Rather, Choi Hyung-woo's side is in trouble.

Choi Hyung-woo's agent did not reach a contract agreement with Samsung. It is not true at all."




Choi Hyung-woo qualified as the FA for the third time this year. After finishing the 2016 season, he became the first FA to sign a four-year contract with KIA for 10 billion won, and before the 2021 season, he was re-qualified as an FA and agreed to a three-year total of 4.7 billion won with KIA.
Non-factual Choi Hyung-woo to Samsung, the agent denied...KIA, which was in the process of negotiation, also caught me off guard
The Hanwha-KIA match held at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 16th. Choi Hyung-woo is requesting time after hitting an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Gwangju = Reporter Jeong Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.9.16/
Non-factual Choi Hyung-woo to Samsung, the agent denied...KIA, which was in the process of negotiation, also caught me off guard
The match between KIA and Lotte at Kia Champions Field in Gwangju on the 11th. KIA Choi Hyung-woo hit a tiebreaking three-run home run against Lotte's Na Kyun-an in the fourth inning. Gwangju =Song Jeong-heon, Reporter Song@sportschosun.com/2025.09.11/
Choi Hyung-woo still maintained his skills to be KIA's No. 4 hitter until he was 40 years old after playing his second FA. In January last year, KIA signed a non-FA multi-year contract worth 2.2 billion won per year with Choi Hyung-woo, leaving a case that veteran players in their 40s can be treated sufficiently.

The fourth batter of KIA was Choi Hyung-woo again this year. He had 133 games, a batting average of 0.307 (144 hits in 469 at-bats), 24 homers, 86 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.928. He still played as the league's top hitter, ranking fifth in the on-base percentage (0.399), seventh in the OPS category, seventh in the slugging percentage (0.529), and seventh in the home run.

So Choi Hyung-woo's contract received great attention. This is because it has raised questions about how Choi Hyung-woo, who is 43 years old, will be treated in the market next year. KIA and his former team Samsung were actually negotiating as they competed for recruitment, but Choi Hyung-woo's side was in a situation where they could lose the contract as the wrong fact was revealed.




Non-factual Choi Hyung-woo to Samsung, the agent denied...KIA, which was in the process of negotiation, also caught me off guard
The KBO League KT Wiz and KIA Tigers match at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 29th. KIA Kim Ho-ryeong, with no outs and first base, is congratulated by Choi Hyung-woo after hitting a two-run shot in the top of the eighth inning. Suwon = Reporter Park Jae-man pjm@sportschosun.com /2025.08.29/




This article was translated by Naver AI translator.