'Hanwha-born' Kim Tae-wan, Kiwoom Heroes' first-division hitting coach, makes sudden resignation: "It's not a health issue" — Club also states, "Requested due to personal reasons, we accepted"

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Tae-wan (42), a former Hanwha Eagles player and now the first-division hitting coach for the Kiwoom Heroes, has resigned. He abruptly announced his decision to step down from his coaching role, dismissing recent rumors about health issues.

On the morning of the 21st, Coach Kim posted on his social media: "Many people have expressed concern about whether I have health problems, making it difficult for me to respond to each one individually, so I am leaving this message. First, I want to state clearly that there is absolutely no issue with my health. I sincerely thank everyone who has shown concern and care. This was not an easy decision, but as of today, I will be stepping down from my coaching duties."

He added, "Even though I felt I fell short as a coach, I want to express both my apologies and gratitude to the players who believed in me and followed me to the end." He also revealed his deep affection for his former players, saying, "The sweat we shed together, the time we spent worrying, and every moment we shared will remain precious memories for me for a long time."

Finally, he did not forget to express his gratitude to the baseball fans who have supported him. Coach Kim concluded his remarks on leaving the field by saying, "The excessive love and support I received from the fans will be kept in my heart forever."

A Kiwoom Heroes club official also explained to StarNews, "Coach Kim Tae-wan recently expressed his intention to resign due to personal reasons, and after careful consideration, the club decided to accept his request."

In fact, Coach Kim Tae-wan had not appeared at recent Kiwoom games. Senior coach Kang Byung-sik had taken on the hitting coach duties to fill the gap. Regarding this, the Kiwoom Heroes club had previously stated, "Coach Kim Tae-wan requested a short leave of absence due to personal reasons."

Known as a powerful hitter during his playing days with the Hanwha Eagles, Coach Kim Tae-wan began his coaching career in 2019 as the hitting coach for the Goyang Heroes in the Futures League before moving to the first-division hitting coach role in July 2025. Amid growing disappointment from the baseball community and fans over his sudden resignation, Coach Kim is expected to take some time for recharging in the near future.

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*This content was translated by AI.