*This content was translated by AI.
The baseball umpire training program is being reformed.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced that, in collaboration with the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) and Myongji University, it will revise and implement a new curriculum for the baseball umpire training program (umpire school) to strengthen the expertise and capabilities of baseball umpires.
The KBO explained that while the existing baseball umpire training program (umpire school) was designed to cultivate and produce individuals aspiring to become baseball umpires, the newly reformed curriculum will enable umpires to enhance their qualifications and capabilities through advanced education and periodic retraining even after completing the umpire school.
The training program will be restructured from two existing tracks (Track I and Track II) into three new tracks: General, Advanced, and Professional.
Applicants wishing to work as baseball umpires must first complete the General track, which consists of a total of 160 hours of training. Upon completion, they will be eligible to serve as umpires in community sports, Little League, adult recreational leagues, women's baseball, and KBSA regional branches.
Among those who complete the General track, only top-performing individuals each year will be eligible to advance to the Advanced track, which focuses on strengthening umpiring skills through training centered on actual game situations.
Graduates of the Advanced track will qualify for appointment or employment as umpires in national tournaments organized by KBSA, university baseball games, and KBO Futures League matches.
Umpires who have completed both the General and Advanced tracks and accumulated at least two years of field experience may enroll in the Professional track, an advanced education program consisting of 64 hours. Among graduates of the Professional track, top performers will be granted opportunities to observe professional baseball practices abroad.
Certificates of completion will be issued to participants who finish each training track. The certification is valid for five years. To ensure umpires maintain and enhance their qualifications and skills before the certification expires, periodic retraining programs will also be conducted alongside continuing education.
The newly reformed baseball umpire training program (umpire school) will take effect starting with the 17th cohort, scheduled to begin on November 20. To foster a clean baseball environment, individuals with serious criminal records—including violations of the National Sports Promotion Act or sexual offenses—may be excluded from enrollment and completion of the program. Detailed recruitment guidelines are expected to be announced in early October.
Meanwhile, to date, a total of 2,751 individuals have completed the baseball umpire training program: 1,825 in the General track and 926 in the Professional track.
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*This content was translated by AI.
