"I fully agree with the chairman's remarks."
Doosan Group Chairman and owner of the professional baseball team Doosan Bears, Park Jeong-won, visited the Miyazaki spring camp site in Japan on the 25th to watch the exhibition match against the Seibu Lions, went down onto the field and took time to shake hands individually with every member of the team including manager Kim Won-hyung. He even generously gave an encouragement payment to captain Yang Eui-ji, raising the morale of the Doosan players aiming to rebuild the storied franchise.
Park Jeong-won's love of baseball and affection for Doosan are well known. Visiting the training site every year to see the players' sweat in person is his long-standing routine and a strong Doosan tradition. This year as well, he carefully inspected training conditions on site and promised both material and moral support so Doosan players can focus solely on baseball.
The chairman's pointed remarks also drew wide attention. Last February in Miyazaki, Park Jeong-won, the owner, left a weighty message to manager Lee Seung-yeop, saying, "We don't play baseball to finish fourth or fifth. I hope you repay the fans with baseball that befits the Bears by giving it your passion and doing your best." Nevertheless, Doosan finished ninth in the 2025 season, and this time he said, "Here last year I said, 'We don't play baseball to finish fourth or fifth,' but we finished ninth. This year, with the new manager, I ask you to show the resolve of 'Miracle Doosan'".
For Park Chan-ho, who left the KIA Tigers in the stove league to join Doosan on a four-year, 8 billion won contract, this was a rather unfamiliar scene. Met in Miyazaki on the 26th, Park Chan-ho said, "I heard the owner comes every year like this. It's really nice," and added, "That the owner has strong interest in baseball and deep affection for the club is a wonderful thing for those of us who belong to this club. I really felt the chairman's affection, and it was very moving."
He fully agreed with the chairman's pointed remarks. Park Chan-ho said, "I strongly agreed with the owner's remarks when I was at KIA as well. Isn't that right?" and added, "As a player, that's natural. I don't play baseball to finish fourth or fifth. And finishing ninth is even more unacceptable. Actually, Doosan is in a very positive situation now. Being ninth means there's only room to rise. I play baseball aiming for first place no matter what."
The process of rising to first place is proceeding quite smoothly. Park Chan-ho, who said, "I'm in my 13th year and I'm having the best condition of my career for this camp," added, "I think our team can produce very good synergy. I'm not a player who hits 30 home runs, so I can't carry this team alone, but if everyone improves their performance by just one step, we can achieve good results. Fans can look forward to it."
[OSEN]