A promising player who once aspired to be a national team submarine pitcher can no longer return to the baseball world.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 14th that it held a disciplinary committee meeting in the KBO conference room on the 12th and rendered a lifetime ban decision regarding Seo Jun-won (formerly of Lotte).

The KBO noted, "Seo Jun-won was suspended from participating in activities on March 28, 2023, based on Article 152 [Report and Handling of Harmful Acts] Section 5 of the KBO regulations." It also stated, "Following last year's final ruling on Seo Jun-won, we convened a disciplinary committee to deliberate on the final sanctions and decided on a lifetime ban based on Article 151 [Conduct Harmful to the League's Dignity] of the KBO regulations."

Seo Jun-won was sentenced to three years in prison with a five-year probation for violating the law on the protection of children and adolescents (production and distribution of sexual exploitation material) and violating the Child Welfare Act in September 2023. The court also ordered Seo to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program, 120 hours of community service, and a five-year employment restriction in facilities for children, adolescents, and the disabled.

Seo Jun-won was indicted for sending physical photos to a minor he met in a public chat room on a social media messenger in August 2022, creating sexual exploitation materials, and coercing obscene acts, and the first-instance verdict was issued in September 2023. The prosecution appealed the sentence, stating it was light, but in October of last year, the court dismissed the appeal, maintaining the original ruling. Seo was also involved in a traffic accident due to drunk driving during the probation period in May of last year.

Seo Jun-won, a submarine pitcher known for throwing fastballs exceeding 150 km/h during his time at Gyeongnam High School, joined his hometown team Lotte as the first overall pick in 2019. Although there was a powerful infielder, Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha), from Gyeongnam High School, they chose Seo without hesitation. Lotte stated, "How could we pass on such a player?" It was an obvious choice.

However, Seo Jun-won did not grow as expected. He neglected effort, believing solely in his talent. Up until the 2022 season, he recorded a total of 123 games with a record of 15 wins, 23 losses, and an earned run average of 5.56. In 2023, Seo Jun-won lost over 10 kg and returned from the Australian Professional Baseball League's Geelong Korea.

However, during the exhibition game period, allegations surrounding Seo Jun-won began to surface. He had already been reported to the police in December 2022 for a sexual crime involving a minor. Seo did not inform the team at all and did not tell his family either. Then, in mid-March during the exhibition game period, he left to undergo a warrant review while lying to the team. Although the arrest warrant was dismissed, he was eventually indicted without detention. Seo's lies were exposed, and Lotte made the decision to release him as soon as they confirmed the facts.

The KBO ultimately issued a lifetime ban, leaving Seo Jun-won unable to step foot in the baseball world again.

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