Ulsan's professional baseball team "Ulsan Whales" will officially launch on the 2nd. It will be Ulsan's first professional baseball team and the nation's first citizen baseball club.
The city will hold an inauguration ceremony for the Ulsan Whales professional baseball team this afternoon at Munsu Baseball Stadium.
About 500 people are expected to attend the ceremony, including Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-kyum, Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) Commissioner Heo Koo-yeon, Ulsan Sports Council President Kim Cheol-uk, city council members, district and county heads, baseball officials, team members and citizens.
The event will proceed in the following order: a report on the launch process and the unveiling of the official emblem, followed by player introductions, the presentation of the team flag, and a launch declaration performance. The focus will be on gradually conveying the significance of launching the first professional baseball team based in Ulsan.
At the event, the city will unveil for the first time the emblem symbolizing the Ulsan Whales. The emblem features an orca. The city explained that among whales, it symbolizes strong teamwork and organization, and intelligent tactics. It also reflects the club's management philosophy that values teamwork and strategy, as well as Ulsan's city image of having grown on the basis of collaboration and technological prowess as an industrial capital.
The Ulsan Whales will begin their season schedule with the KBO Futures League opener on Mar. 20. Before that, starting Feb. 12, they will conduct spring training in Jeju Island, focusing on strengthening physical conditioning and improving cohesion to accelerate preparations for the season.
The Ulsan Sports Council appointed former Doosan Bears coach Jang Won-jin as the inaugural manager of the Ulsan Whales and former Lotte Giants management support team leader Kim Dong-jin as the inaugural Director General. It also completed the coaching staff with Choi Ki-moon, Park Myung-hwan, Jeong Jae-bok, Kim Dae-ik, Lim Su-min, Ahn Sang-jun, Hwang Sun-il, Kang Min-cheol and Kim Tae-hoon. The team roster will be 35 players, and it is currently in the final stage of formation.
A city official said, "The launch of the Ulsan Whales professional baseball team is more than simply starting a team; it is an opportunity to leap forward as a sports city where citizens enjoy and participate together," adding, "We will spare no administrative and financial support so the team can grow into a competitive club in the Futures League and become a flagship content representing 'Ulsan, the super-fun city.'"