The Japanese media showed interest in the recent situation of Jung-ho Kang (36), who is rarely mentioned in Korea.
“Full Count,” a Japanese baseball media outlet, said on the 7th, “Kang Jeong-ho, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates until 2019, has not been able to return to the Korean baseball world. A Korean star crashed while running away from a drunk driving accident,” said an article about Kang Jung-ho.
Full Count said, “What are Korea’s representative talents doing now?” He was convicted of driving under the influence and sentenced to 8 months in prison and 2 years probation. In the aftermath of this, he was unable to obtain a US work visa and took a break for the entire year of 2017,” he pointed out his criminal history.
He continued, “After returning to the major leagues at the end of September 2018 and renewing the contract for one year, he was classified as out of power in August of the following year and promoted a return to Korea. However, as the past criminal history became a problem, the situation where he has not been able to return has continued to this day.” 메이저사이트
Full Count said, “Kang Jeong-ho held an apology press conference in Korea in 2020 and tried to return to his KBO league. However, it did not work out well due to strong opposition from public opinion. In March 2022, he even signed a blitz contract with his parent team Kiwoom, but he refused to sign the contract, saying that KBO was a player who could undermine the rights and interests of the league.”
If so, can Jung-ho Kang aim for a comeback in Japan? Full Count said, “Kang Jeong-ho is the first Asian infielder to record more than 20 homers in his first season in 2016, during his Pirates days. However, his recent career should be traced back to the 2019 season in which he played in 65 big league games,” he said. Will the Korean infielder, who boasts a total of 185 home runs in Korea and the United States, be expelled from the baseball world like this?”
Kang Jung-ho heated up the domestic baseball world in March of last year due to the controversy over his return to Kiwoom. On March 18, Kiwoom suddenly requested approval from the KBO for the voluntary termination of Kang Jung-ho’s return, and prior to this, he signed a contract with the player for the 2022 season. At the time, Koh Hyung-wook, general manager of Kiwoom, explained the background that was difficult to understand, saying, “As a senior baseball player, I wanted to give Jung-ho Kang a last chance to finish as a baseball player, so I promoted the recruitment.”
Kang Jung-ho is a serious criminal who has been caught drunk driving three times. In 2009, 2011, and in December 2016, he was sentenced to 8 months in prison and 2 years probation for causing a drunken hit-and-run accident, not a simple drunk driving. At the time, he got off guard rail while drunk and fled to a hotel to hide, and during the investigation, a passenger falsely stated that he was driving. It was a fatal incident both legally and ethically, but Kang Jung-ho only issued a short apology through his agency.
Kang Jeong-ho’s attempt to come back ended up in vain. KBO President Heo Gu-yeon ex officio nullified the contract with Kiwoom, and Kang Jung-ho, who received criticism from the public, withdrew his return. Kang Jung-ho, who turned 36 this year, is known to be living in the United States.
