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| ▲ LG Twins outfielder Lee Chun-woong plays during a Korea Baseball Organization wild card game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, in this file photo from Nov. 2, 2020. (Yonhap) |
baseball player-gambling
KBO outfielder admits to illegal gambling
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, April 14 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean baseball club LG Twins announced Friday their outfielder Lee Chun-woong has admitted to engaging in illegal online gambling.
The Twins said Lee, who first faced gambling allegations late last month, acknowledged his wrongdoing Wednesday in the midst of the club's internal investigation. The 34-year-old had at first denied those accusations, the Twins added.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) received an anonymous tip on Lee's misconduct in March and said on April 6 that it would ask prosecutors to investigate gambling charges against Lee.
The Twins removed Lee from their active roster on April 1 and began running their own probe.
"We immediately notified the KBO of the latest development," the Twins said in a statement. "We will cooperate with prosecutors and the league office going forward."
The Twins issued an apology to their fans, saying they hold themselves accountable for poor management of their players.
Lee signed a tryout contract with the Twins in 2011 and made his KBO debut with them the following year. He has been with the Seoul-based club ever since, and established himself as an everyday player in 2016.
He has since lost playing time and appeared in only 19 games last year.
For his career, Lee has a .289 batting average with 18 home runs, 211 RBIs and 58 steals in 622 games.
Lee's gambling admission is the latest black eye to a league that has already dealt with some disastrous off-field incidents this year.
Just prior to the start of the season in April, the Lotte Giants belatedly learned that their pitcher Seo Jun-won had faced a criminal investigation for alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor. The Giants released him and the KBO suspended him indefinitely.
In late March, the Kia Tigers fired their general manager, Jang Jung-suk, after Jang allegedly asked a free agent catcher Park Dong-won for a kickback during contract negotiations last offseason. Prosecutors are also looking into this case.
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