Korean Police Baseball Team


Korean Police Baseball Team was a South Korean amateur baseball team that existed from 2005 to 2019, and competed in the KBO Futures League from 2006 through 2019. Their home stadium was Byeokje Baseball Stadium in Goyang. The team was controlled by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which itself is a division of the National [Police Agency (South Korea)|National Police Agency].
The Police were not affiliated with any single KBO League team, instead fielding a roster made of players from many of the KBO franchises. Over the Police team's history, however, it had a preponderance of players from the Doosan Bears franchise. Notable KBO League players who at one time served on the Police team included Choi Hyoung-woo, Yang Eui-ji, Min Byung-hun, Jung Soo-bin, Rhee Dae-eun, Son Seung-lak, and Won Jong-hyun.

Structure

Many professional players who were serving compulsory military service played for the Police team, usually for a term of two seasons. Players were considered part of the auxiliary police, and completed their national duty as police officers after they finished recruit training.
The Korea Baseball Organization provided the Police team about 1.5 billion won in operating expenses each year.

History

The Police team was the champion of the Northern League division of the Futures League in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
In 2017 the South Korean government announced it was abolishing the auxiliary police by the year 2023; the National Police Agency immediately stopped recruiting athletes and promised to disband its sports teams by the following year. The Police team was disbanded after the 2019 Futures League season; the team played its final game on July 10, 2019, against the Hanwha Eagles Futures League team.
Altogether, more than 200 players fulfilled their military duties on the Police team during its existence.

Notable former players

NameYears playedKBO Team
Byeon Jin-su2016–2017Doosan Bears
Cho Young-hun2008–2009Samsung Lions
Choi Hyoung-woo2006–2007Samsung Lions
Choi Jae-hoon2009–2011Doosan Bears
Han Dong-min2014–2016SK Wyverns
Hong Sang-sam2015–2016Doosan Bears
Hur Kyoung-min2010–2011Doosan Bears
Jang Sung-woo2012–2013Lotte Giants
Jeon Jun-woo2015–2016Lotte Giants
Jung Soo-bin2017–2018Doosan Bears
Kim In-tae2014–2015Doosan Bears
Kim Kang-ryul2009–2010Doosan Bears
Kim Min-woo2005–2007Woori Heroes
Kim Tae-gun2018–2019NC Dinos
Kook Hae-seong2009–2012Doosan Bears
Min Byung-hun2011–2012Doosan Bears
Oh Jeong-bok2012–2013NC Dinos
Park Kun-woo2011–2012Doosan Bears
Rhee Dae-eun2017–2018KT Wiz
Son Seung-lak2008–2009Woori Heroes
Won Jong-hyun2015NC Dinos
Yang Eui-ji2008–2009Doosan Bears