Korea announces Collegiate, U-23, U-18 and U-12 National Team managers

The Korea Baseball Softball Association announced the managers for the Youth and the Collegiate National Teams after the Performance Improvement Committee meetings on April 10 and April 27.

Yoon-jin Jung, head coach of Duksu High School and a prominent figure in high school baseball, will manage Korea at the WBSC Asia U-18 Baseball World Cup Qualifier in September. Since taking charge in 2007, he has led Duksu High to become a dominant force, winning multiple major tournaments. His recent achievements include winning both the Shinsegae E-Mart Cup and the Golden Lion Championship in 2024, the Blue Dragon Championship last year, and again the Shinsegae E-Mart Cup this year. Jung managed the U-18 National Team in 2013.

Yeon-su Lee, head coach of Sungkyunkwan University and a veteran in collegiate baseball, will manage Korea at the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2026. Nicaragua will host the tournament from November 6 to 15. Lee led Korea to the silver medal at the 2022 edition.

"He is expected to excel in developing players transitioning to the next level," stated KBSA in a press release.

In August, Il-hyuk Maeng of Baekma Elementary School will manage the U-12 National Team at the WBSC Asia U-12 Baseball World Cup Qualifier.

"Known for emphasising strong fundamentals and working closely with young players over many years, he is expected to maximise team cohesion at the Asian Youth Baseball Championship through his effective communication and extensive field experience," commented KBSA.

Cheon-ju Ko, the Songwon University head coach, will lead the University National Team in the newly formed World Collegiate Baseball Championship. Ko previously strengthened Songwon University's program by producing three draftees - the highest among university teams - in the 2024 KBO Draft.

"He aims to showcase the strength of Korean university baseball on the international stage," stated the KBSA, which also announced that it is in the process of "finalising the coaching staffs" for the four National Teams. The player selections will also begin soon.