*This content was translated by AI.
The Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) has refuted allegations that former Secretary-General Kim Yong-gyun ordered the alteration of game records to provide benefits to a specific player.
On April 18, KBS reported that Kim Yong-gyun, Secretary-General of the Korea Baseball Association, instructed a scorekeeper to alter records following the conclusion of a weekend league game in the Gangwon region for high school baseball.
In the seventh inning, during an offensive play by High School A, runner B successfully stole second base. The scorekeeper, C, had recorded this not as a stolen base but as a caught stealing (stolen base failure). Kim sought to correct this record. C had determined that while the timing was out, the tag was not applied properly.
Kim Secretary-General's reason for requesting the record alteration had its own persuasiveness: the umpire had called the runner safe on the steal attempt. However, no objection was raised by the player or the team regarding this matter. Moreover, stolen base records are not subject to formal objections, and only parents or coaches may file objections regarding items eligible for correction. In response, scorekeeper C expressed strong dissatisfaction.
KBS focused on the reason Kim Secretary-General requested the record alteration: the player B who attempted the steal is the son of D, a subordinate employee of the association. D has a prior record of being prosecuted for embezzling hundreds of millions of won in association funds. During Kim's tenure, D was repeatedly promoted, and the association even paid back the hundreds of millions of won in embezzled funds on D's behalf. D currently serves as the head of the Operations Division, one of the association's senior positions.
The claim was that Kim Secretary-General ordered the record alteration to help B, a high school senior and D's son, gain an advantage in admission-related achievements. At the time, B was leading the Gangwon region weekend league in stolen bases during the first half of the season.
Furthermore, Kim Yong-gyun (Director) retired upon reaching mandatory retirement age on the 30th, and allegations were raised that the association is pushing to rehire Kim Secretary-General.
In response, the association issued a refutation document on the 20th. The association conducted an internal investigation into the KBS report and announced the results.
According to confirmation from the scorekeeper, the initial call was safe. Regarding the reason for recording it as a stolen base, the explanation was: "It was a perfect out timing, but the umpire called safe," and "We judged the ball was fast, and the shortstop failed to tag; since a fielding error would result in a stolen base being recorded, Rule 9.07(f) was applied, and it was marked as 'C.S 2-6E'."
This rule stipulates that when a runner attempts a steal and the throw arrives at perfect out timing, but the fielder fails to catch the ball and the runner is safe, the fielder who missed the throw is charged with an error, the fielder who threw the ball is credited with an assist, and the runner is recorded as having failed to steal. While the runner is credited with reaching base, the steal attempt itself is considered a failure.
Video review revealed an even clearer umpire error. The association stated, "It was a normal defensive play; in fact, the fielder (shortstop) tagged faster, and the fielder did not drop the ball." It added, "The umpire's safe call was an error and will be reflected in future umpire evaluations."
However, the association also stated that the "stolen base failure" record was incorrect. According to the association's professional scorekeeper, even if it was an umpire error, the umpire called safe during the game, and the fielder did not drop the throw; therefore, recording it as a "stolen base" is accurate. Regardless of the out timing, if the fielder does not drop the throw, there is no basis to consider it a stolen base failure.
The association stated, "After reviewing game video and statements from relevant parties and comprehensively evaluating the investigation results, the association's official position is that there was no private external pressure or special privilege, only a correction of a record error." It further explained, "The Secretary-General's task of checking score sheets was a daily duty continuously conducted the day after games, falling within the scope of routine verification by the Secretary-General, who has extensive knowledge of records, from a position overseeing all secretariat affairs, rather than an area for filing objections or applications."
KBS reported that the score sheet written by the scorekeeper was uploaded to the association's website and then modified again under the instruction of Secretary-General Kim. The association responded, "The score sheet first uploaded to the association's website mentioned in the article was confirmed to be a record sheet that had already undergone primary modification. The statistics section of the original score sheet contained discrepancies with the recorded content, listing 'stolen bases (3), caught stealing (1), total stolen bases (7).' After the Secretary-General pointed out the incorrect statistics, the statistics and record content were modified multiple times."
The association further stated, "Additionally, the guidelines for inquiries regarding game records on the association's website specify that for judgments on hits, errors, or fielder's choices (excluding requests for correction of clerical or data entry errors), an objection form must be submitted only after confirmation and signature by the team's manager (head coach). Therefore, requests for correction of clerical or data entry errors are not subject to such restrictions."
The association emphasized, "As the administrative body responsible for overseeing national tournaments, including high school weekend leagues, the association secretariat cannot tolerate violations of rules." It argued, "On the contrary, if we had left a clear violation of baseball rules uncorrected, the situation where opposing fielders suffered due to errors would have persisted."
The association promised, "To prevent such misunderstandings and controversies from recurring, we will maintain the rapid score sheet upload service, but will introduce procedures such as designating the first uploaded record after the game as 'temporary record (pending approval)' and recognizing it as 'official record (final)' only after final verification and approval of records and statistics. We will take all necessary measures to ensure more thorough record management."
However, the association offered no separate explanation regarding allegations that it is pushing to rehire Kim Yong-gyun (Director).
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*This content was translated by AI.
