"Manager Kim Sung-geun, the person I am most grateful to" The 43-year-old left-handed pitcher bowed his head, ending his retirement game with a fiery "1-inning KKK scoreless SV" finale.

*This content was translated by AI.

Ko Hyo-jun (43, Ulsan Whales), the "oldest active pitcher" who has guarded the mound on the Korean professional baseball stage for a remarkable 25 years, brought his career to a brilliant close with a scoreless save in his retirement game.

On the 28th, Ko Hyo-jun took the mound in the bottom of the 9th inning during a Futures League home game against the Lotte Giants at Ulsan Munsu Baseball Stadium. He delivered a perfect 1-inning performance, allowing 1 hit and recording 3 strikeouts without surrendering a run, securing the team's victory. After striking out Yu Je-mo and Jo Min-young, he did allow a double hit to Kim Dong-hyun, known as the "Sajik Murakami," but he struck out the following batter, Kim Min-seong, to close out the game.

This was a meaningful game for Ko Hyo-jun. It was a dramatic save achieved in his final professional game and his retirement game. Fans gave a standing ovation to every pitch thrown by the 43rd-year-old veteran, paying tribute to his 25-year baseball career.

Ko Hyo-jun began his professional career with the Lotte Giants in 2002. He played for seven teams, including SK, KIA, Lotte, LG, SSG, and Doosan, before joining the new team Ulsan Whales for the 2026 season, establishing himself as a representative left-handed pitcher in the KBO League. Although he did not make it to the first division stage this season, he continued to prove his fighting spirit, stating that "age is just a number," by breaking records for the oldest win, save, and hold in the Futures League day after day.

Although the retirement announcement came suddenly, Ko Hyo-jun revealed that it was a path he chose after long deliberation. Regarding the background of his sudden retirement decision, he stated, "I had already conveyed my intention to the organization," and added, "I felt I had shown everything I could as a player, and I felt I could now step down without regrets."

Reflecting on his 25-year journey, Ko Hyo-jun cited his first championship with SK Wyverns and his championship with the KIA Tigers as his most memorable moments. He said, "Above all, the ordinary days spent laughing and chatting with teammates at the baseball field were my most precious memories. Looking back, I was truly someone who loved baseball," and smiled.

Among them, the person to whom Ko Hyo-jun bowed his head the deepest was the "Baseball God" Manager Kim Sung-geun (84). Ko Hyo-jun said, "He is the person who completely changed my baseball life," and expressed his gratitude, stating, "He was someone I truly respected as a baseball professional and had the greatest influence on me throughout my playing career. I am sincerely grateful."

He also revealed his deep affection for his family. Ko Hyo-jun added, "When I told my daughter about my retirement, my seven-year-old daughter was very upset. She always had a team she supported and used to say, 'All the teams Dad plays for are my teams.' Seeing her like that, I realized this was a truly special time for my family as well."

Jang Won-jin (57), the Ulsan Whales manager, also expressed deep gratitude for Ko Hyo-jun's dedication. Manager Jang praised him, saying, "Ko Hyo-jun was a veteran who played a very significant role for our team." He continued, "Many people evaluated our team as weak ahead of the season, but even in that situation, he led the younger players based on his rich experience and anchored the team's center." He further stated, "Since this was a decision made by the player himself after long deliberation, we respected it. He was a player who guarded his position more diligently than anyone else for 25 years, and I believe he will continue to show good examples as a coach and a baseball professional in the future. I sincerely wish him well on his new beginning."

After retirement, Ko Hyo-jun is preparing for a new start as a baseball academy instructor in Incheon alongside Kim Tae-hoon (36), a former left-handed pitcher for the SSG Landers. He has expressed his ambition to do anything possible to contribute to the development of the baseball world, including media activities.

Ko Hyo-jun, who showed the demeanor of an active player until the very last moment, said, "There were many good moments and difficult moments, but thanks to the fans, I was a happy player until the end." He concluded with a final message: "Going forward, as Ko Hyo-jun the baseball professional, I will live a life that helps the development of Korean baseball."

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*This content was translated by AI.