|
[이데일리 스타in 임정우 기자] Choo Shin-soo (39) joins the Shinsegae E-Mart club, which is re-founded by acquiring SK Wyverns. Choo Shin-soo, one of the specially nominated overseas players in 2007, signed for the 7th time in the KBO League.
Shinsegae Group announced on the 23rd that “I signed a contract with Shinsoo Choo for an annual salary of 2.7 billion won.” On this day, as Choo Shin-soo’s trip to Korea was confirmed, all of the specially designated overseas players returned to Korea.
Hee-seop Choi (now KIA Tigers coach), Seung-Jun Song (Lotte Giants), Seung-Hak Lee (former Doosan Bears), Tae-in Chae (former Samsung Lions, 2007), Byeong-Hyun Kim (former Nexen Heroes 2012), Jae-guk Ryu (former LG Twins) before Shin-soo Choo 2013) made his debut on the Korean professional baseball stage by signing with the club that nominated him first.
The KBO secretariat and professional clubs held a special nomination meeting for overseas players in 2007 by revising the rules that foreign players before 1999 must go through a rookie draft in order to debut in Korean professional baseball.
I hoped that the players who played in the major leagues would play an active part in Korea and become a catalyst for box office success. KBO held a special nomination meeting for overseas players in 2007 and drafted a draft to return to Korea for Choi Hee-seop and Chae Tae-in, five years later, after advancing overseas since 1999. At this time, SK Wyverns nominated Choo Shin-soo as the first priority in the overseas group special nomination held on April 2, 2007.
The’Special Nomination for Overseas Players’ cannot be transferred to other clubs while the club retains the nomination rights permanently, and the player cannot be traded for one year after signing a contract. Choo Shin-soo, who has played in the major leagues of the American professional baseball all the way, finally went to the KBO league in 2021, 14 years after nomination.
Choo Shin-soo signed a contract with Shinsegae Group for an annual salary of 2.7 billion won. This is the highest amount ever in KBO League, exceeding 2.5 billion won by Lee Dae-ho (Lotte), and the largest amount among overseas special nomination contracts. Previously, the highest amount was 1.5 billion won of Kim Byeong-hyun, who signed a down payment of 1 billion won and an annual salary of 500 million won. Hyundai Unicorns specially nominated Kim Byeong-hyun, and Kim Byeong-hyun joined Nexen, the successor of Hyundai Unicorns. Choo Shin-soo decided to use 1 billion won of his annual salary for social contribution activities after consulting with the club.