South Korea baseball team to gather Sept. 14 for Asian Games gold medal bid

South Korea's national baseball team is set to convene on September 14 as they begin preparations for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The team is aiming to secure its fifth consecutive gold medal, a streak that began in the 2010 Guangzhou Games and continued through the 2022 Hangzhou Games.

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We are here this morning to join the family, friends, and indeed the whole of Nigeria to mourn the demise of Mr Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, a true icon, a proud Yoruba man, somebody that you are always proud to associate with and say this indeed is my brother.

The coaching staff, led by full-time national team manager Ryu Ji-hyun, has been finalized by the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA). Ryu will be supported by senior coach Kang In-kwon, who previously served as a senior coach for the World Baseball Classic earlier this year. The coaching lineup also includes pitching coach Choi Won-ho, a commentator for SBS Sports, and defensive coach Lee Dong-wook, both of whom have prior experience with the national team during the WBC.

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Alhaji Taiwo Hassan was a gifted artiste who used his talent to tell Nigerian stories, preserve our cultural heritage and entertain audiences at home and abroad.

Other key coaching appointments include batting and QC coach Park Kyung-soo, and strategy coach Choi Tae-won, head coach of Kyung Hee University. Battery coach Choi Ki-moon, who has a history of coaching in the Asian Games and other international tournaments, will also join the staff. The team held its first official meeting on August 24 to discuss tournament schedules, training plans, and analyze the strengths of opposing teams.

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His passing is a great loss to his family, the Yoruba film industry, Nollywood and the entire Nigerian creative community.

Following their assembly, the team will conduct official training and practice games at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul from September 15 to 17. They are scheduled to depart for Nagoya, Japan, on September 18, with on-site adaptation training on September 19 and 20. The preliminary round matches are set against Taiwan on September 21, Hong Kong on September 22, and Thailand on September 23. Depending on the results, the team will proceed to the Super Round on September 25 and 26, with the medal determination match on September 27. The team is expected to return to Korea on September 28. The KBO league will continue without interruption during the Asian Games.

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On behalf of the Federal Government, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and millions of admirers.