LG Twins outfielder Park Hae-min has been elected as the 14th president of the Korea Professional Baseball Players Association, succeeding incumbent Yang Hyun-jong. Starnewskorea.com reported that the election concluded on September 14 after a ballot that drew an 86.1% voter turnout across the league.
Ballot Process and High Voter Turnout
The election took place from September 6 through 2.00 p.m. on September 14, covering a total pool of 1,010 registered KBO players. Out of that total, 870 athletes cast ballots. Secretary-General Jang Dong-哲 explained that the high participation rate resulted from a deliberate shift away from indirect text-message voting. Instead, association officials visited every team’s spring or regular-season clubhouse directly to collect paper ballots from each player. The method addressed former complaints from outgoing president Yang Hyun-jong regarding low engagement in past elections, backed by active encouragement from Yang and club player representatives.
Transition Timeline and Upcoming Inauguration
Park’s official two-year term will commence on December 1, following a formal handover ceremony at the association’s regular general meeting. The executive office stated that preparations are underway to ensure a smooth transition of leadership while Yang Hyun-jong completes the remainder of his term. The changeover will take place during the 14th regular general meeting and the 2026 True Glove Awards ceremony, hosted at the Dynasty Hall of the Shilla Hotel in Seoul.
Future Direction and Association Leadership
Park will unveil his organizational priorities and official inaugural address during the December 1 ceremony. The 36-year-old veteran outfielder takes over leadership of the players’ union at a time when the organization is focused on administrative stability and direct player representation across all ten KBO franchises. Further details regarding the association’s upcoming agenda will be released at the general meeting.
