*This content was translated by AI.
"If results do not follow, it will be entirely the coach's fault."
Jung Yoon-jin (55), head coach of Deoksu High School, who has taken command of the under-18 (U-18) national baseball team for the first time in 13 years, has issued a bold declaration with the goal of conquering Asian baseball.
Coach Jung Yoon-jin's Lee Kkeu-neun (CEO) team will compete in the 14th U-18 Asian Youth Baseball Championship, which opens on the 7th in Taipei, Taiwan.
The only acceptable outcome is victory. The national team boasts a solid roster including Ha Hyun-seung (Busan High), a top draft pick who turned down a $3 million offer from the New York Yankees (approximately 4 billion won), along with Eom Jun-sang (Deoksu High) and Nam Hyun-woo (Seoul Convention High), both of whom have secured Major League Baseball (MLB) contracts, and Kim Ji-woo (Seoul High), expected to be a high draft pick.
Coach Jung stated, "I told the players that we are hunters. The moment you let your guard down, you get eaten. They must stay fully alert." He added, "With our skill level, victory is definitely within reach. If results do not follow, it will be entirely the coach's fault. I asked the players to show their abilities exactly as they are in the games."
South Korea has been placed in Group B alongside Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand. The primary focus is on the match against Taiwan, which is also the opening game on the 7th. The top two teams from each group advance to the super round, and records from group-stage matchups are carried over directly into the super round. Losing to Taiwan would mean starting the super round with one loss, making victory absolutely crucial.
Coach Jung emphasized, "This is effectively a final match. We must win without exception. If we lose, there will be no next game. It is an all-out battle. Securing the first match gives us a strategic advantage." He further stated, "We will consider the Japan game later. For now, the entire coaching staff's focus is entirely on Taiwan."
This tournament also represents an opportunity for Coach Jung to avenge past pain personally. Thirteen years ago, when he served as head coach of the U-18 national team at the Baseball World Cup, he finished in fifth place with regret. In particular, his team suffered a humiliating 0-10 defeat against Japan in the super round and also lost 4-5 to Taiwan. Recalling those memories, Coach Jung said, "After the game ended, I sat alone in my hotel room without eating or speaking, shedding tears silently." He added, "For the past 13 years, I couldn't even bring myself to think about facing Taiwan again."
He is determined to prove that even with the poor foundation of Korean amateur baseball, success is achievable. "There are evaluations that say Korean amateur baseball is not as good as Japan's. But I want to show that our amateur baseball does not lag behind Japan and Taiwan," he said. "Since I am here representing all the amateur baseball coaches who are currently sweating on the fields, I feel an even greater responsibility to perform well. I will demonstrate the true potential of Korean baseball."
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*This content was translated by AI.
