ID :
35735
Mon, 12/15/2008 - 16:40
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/35735
The shortlink copeid
Samsung baseball chief to resign after players linked to gambling scandal
(ATTN: ADDS timing of resignation in para 4, year Kim was promoted to president in penultimate para, comment on players' moral hazards in paras 6-7, background in last para)
SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Yonhap) -- The president of South Korea's leading baseball team, the Samsung Lions, said Monday he plans to resign amid a broadening investigation into an online gambling scandal involving more than a dozen of its players.
Kim Euong-young, a legendary former manager who captured 10 national titles in
his career, said he feels morally obligated to assume responsibility for the
scandal in which 13 of his players are accused of regularly betting at an
overseas gambling site.
South Korea's law criminalizes those who routinely gamble on the Internet, and
state prosecutors said this month they are likely to push for the indictment of
several they believe have bet up to 300 million won (US$222,000).
"I have concluded that someone has to take responsibility for the current
situation," said Kim, 68, adding he is likely to resign after the investigation
ends.
A total of 16 players from three teams have been nabbed, prosecutors said, with
Lions members forming the majority. The investigation is another blow to the most
lavishly financed team in the eight-member league, after a recent trade brouhaha
in which the Lions tried to buy out an up-and-coming pitcher from a nascent rival
team.
Kim Jae-ha, the general manager who also disclosed his willingness to resign,
said he feels "troubled" and indicated the Lions may have been spoiled.
"There is a public consensus that this resulted from Samsung pampering its
players," he said, adding the team could refrain from training abroad and thus
spend less to assuage the public criticism.
The Lions are backed by Samsung Group, the country's largest conglomerate whose
business activities account for about a fifth of South Korea's GDP. The team,
launched in 1982 simultaneously with the inception of the professional league,
finished fourth this season, after having claimed four titles, one under Kim
Euong-young as manager.
Kim headed what is now the Kia Tigers from 1982-2000, bringing his team the
league title nine times. He was promoted to the president of the Lions in 2004.
Gambling is occasionally associated with athletes in South Korea. A group of
football players recently came under questioning after they allegedly took bribes
from Chinese gamblers for trying to fix games in their top amateur league, while
a prominent television host and former baseball pitcher was questioned over his
alleged online betting that resulted in a loss of 1.3 billion won (US$960,000).
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Dec. 15 (Yonhap) -- The president of South Korea's leading baseball team, the Samsung Lions, said Monday he plans to resign amid a broadening investigation into an online gambling scandal involving more than a dozen of its players.
Kim Euong-young, a legendary former manager who captured 10 national titles in
his career, said he feels morally obligated to assume responsibility for the
scandal in which 13 of his players are accused of regularly betting at an
overseas gambling site.
South Korea's law criminalizes those who routinely gamble on the Internet, and
state prosecutors said this month they are likely to push for the indictment of
several they believe have bet up to 300 million won (US$222,000).
"I have concluded that someone has to take responsibility for the current
situation," said Kim, 68, adding he is likely to resign after the investigation
ends.
A total of 16 players from three teams have been nabbed, prosecutors said, with
Lions members forming the majority. The investigation is another blow to the most
lavishly financed team in the eight-member league, after a recent trade brouhaha
in which the Lions tried to buy out an up-and-coming pitcher from a nascent rival
team.
Kim Jae-ha, the general manager who also disclosed his willingness to resign,
said he feels "troubled" and indicated the Lions may have been spoiled.
"There is a public consensus that this resulted from Samsung pampering its
players," he said, adding the team could refrain from training abroad and thus
spend less to assuage the public criticism.
The Lions are backed by Samsung Group, the country's largest conglomerate whose
business activities account for about a fifth of South Korea's GDP. The team,
launched in 1982 simultaneously with the inception of the professional league,
finished fourth this season, after having claimed four titles, one under Kim
Euong-young as manager.
Kim headed what is now the Kia Tigers from 1982-2000, bringing his team the
league title nine times. He was promoted to the president of the Lions in 2004.
Gambling is occasionally associated with athletes in South Korea. A group of
football players recently came under questioning after they allegedly took bribes
from Chinese gamblers for trying to fix games in their top amateur league, while
a prominent television host and former baseball pitcher was questioned over his
alleged online betting that resulted in a loss of 1.3 billion won (US$960,000).
samkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
