“I AM EAGER TO LAND” Formal San Diego Padres Star Announced His Return As San Diego Padres Key Player Departed.
Written by Yoo Jee-ho
March 15, INCHEON (Yonhap) — Dozens of supporters welcomed the San Diego Padres at the airport in the early hours of Friday morning as they landed in South Korea for an unprecedented run of major league games in the nation.
After crossing 16 time zones, the Padres’ Atlas 747-400 VIP aircraft landed at Incheon International Airport, which is located just west of Seoul, at roughly 1:30 a.m. on Friday. On Wednesday afternoon (local time), they had participated in a spring training game in Arizona before boarding their charter jet to South Korea.
The Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers will square off in a two-game Seoul Series at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Wednesday and Thursday. The first-ever Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season games to be held in South Korea are these two events.
On March 15, 2024, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres (C) arrives from the United States at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to sign autographs in anticipation of Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)
On March 15, 2024, Kim Ha-seong of the San Diego Padres (C) arrives from the United States at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to sign autographs in anticipation of Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)
Numerous fans came out late to see San Diego players who were based in their home countries: pitchers Yu Darvish and Yuki Matsui from Japan, and infielders Kim Ha-seong and Go Woo-suk from South Korea. Other well-known Padres players, such outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. and infielder Manny Machado, signed a few autographs as they were leaving the airport.
As the Padres players and personnel walked out and boarded their team buses to their Seoul hotel, a number of camera operators and photographers recorded the moment.
“It feels fantastic. We’re about to play here, it only dawned on me now that we’re here,” Kim informed reporters. “I know fans will be expecting a lot from us, and we’ll try to play good games.”
Go said, “It was a good flight, but I am a bit tired.” I feel fairly well.
The Padres are planning to host a clinic in Seoul’s Yongsan Children’s Park on Saturday for neighborhood kids and American military dependant kids stationed in South Korea.
On March 15, 2024, Go Woo-suk of the San Diego Padres (C) arrives from the United States at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to sign autographs in anticipation of Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)
On March 15, 2024, Go Woo-suk of the San Diego Padres (C) arrives from the United States at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, to sign autographs in anticipation of Major League Baseball’s Seoul Series. (Yonhap)
The first of their two exhibition games at Gocheok is scheduled to take place on Sunday at 7 p.m. against the South Korean national squad. Monday at noon will see the second game, which is against the LG Twins, the reigning Korean Series champions.
It is planned for the Dodgers to land in South Korea on Friday afternoon. They’ll take on the Korea Baseball Organization’s (KBO) Kiwoom Heroes at noon on Sunday, followed by the South Korean national team at 7 p.m. on Monday.
Just after 7 p.m., both regular season games will kick off. On Wednesday, the Padres will be the home team, and on Thursday, the Dodgers will bat last.
In the upcoming days, local fans will be paying attention to Kim and Go, the two homegrown talents who are currently based in San Diego.
Kim became the first Asian infielder to win the coveted defensive award in 2023 when he earned the National League Gold Glove at utility. The last year of his four-year contract is about to begin.
Before signing with the Padres, Kim was a member of the Heroes for seven years. Gocheok served as Kim’s home stadium from 2016 to 2020.
