The South Korean baseball star Kim Dong-hyuk made a losing return to KBO action on June 2 after serving a 50-game suspension for gambling in Taiwan.
Kim Dong-hyuk came off the bench midway through the game in Gwangju. But the outfielder was unable to stop his side, the Lotte Giants, from slumping to a 5-4 walk-off defeat at the hands of the KIA Tigers.
The defeat leaves Lotte just one place above the foot of the KBO league table with a win rate of just 0.404, the South Korean media outlet X Sports News reported.
Lotte has won just three of its last 10 games. The Busan-based franchise’s season was arguably derailed before the season even began in late March, with the KBO banning Kim Dong-hyuk for 50 games.
The league’s disciplinary committee also banned three of Kim Dong-hyuk’s teammates (Ko Seung-min, Kim Se-min, and Na Seung-yeop) for 30 games. All three have previously made their returns, but have done little to improve Lotte’s poor league form.
Kim Dong-hyuk: Betting Controversy
Baseball fans expressed outrage earlier this year when CCTV footage of the quartet at an illegal gambling venue began to circulate on social media platforms.
Gambling in overseas casinos and betting halls is illegal in South Korea. Courts have fined and even jailed several famous politicians and celebrities for placing bets while traveling overseas.
The players visited the gambling club during a Lotte pre-season training camp in Taiwan. Some argued that the punishment was overly severe, as gambling is not illegal in Taiwan.
However, others argued that the four players had shown a huge disregard for Lotte fans after a torrid 2025 season.
Lotte’s Misery Continues
In 2025, Lotte, one of the best-supported teams in the KBO, failed to reach the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year.
Kim Dong-hyuk admitted to visiting the Taiwanese gambling club three times during the training camp. The committee heard that Ko Seung-min, Kim Se-min, and Na Seung-yeop, meanwhile, only visited the club once.
Lotte initially indicated it would impose additional bans, but in late February surprised fans by punishing senior executives for failing to prevent the incident.
The franchise imposed undisclosed disciplinary penalties on the team’s CEO, Lee Kang-hun, and general manager, Park Jun-hyuk.
“We feel responsible for the disgraceful incident that occurred at our spring training site,” the team said in a statement. “Accordingly, we have decided to mete out severe penalties on the team’s CEO and general manager, and also discipline front office managers.”
In nearby Japan, last year’s NPB season was overshadowed by reports that players and coaches violated Japanese law by gambling online.
Several pro baseball teams say they are taking steps to ensure all players and coaching staff are aware that online gambling is illegal.
However, some claim that individual players were singled out in the early stages of the crackdown. Prosecutors let players and coaches who came forward with confessions remain anonymous in many instances.
