SEOUL - The SSG Landers baseball team announced on Friday the hiring of former KT Wiz executive Lee Soong-yong as their new manager. Lee, 52, has signed a two-year contract with the team, valued at 900 million won (approximately US$695,090), which includes a 600 million won salary and a 300 million won signing bonus. He replaces Kim Won-hyong, who was dismissed on October 31 following the team's elimination from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) postseason. Kim's departure came despite two years remaining on his contract, which he signed after leading the Landers to the Korean Series title in 2022.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee, who previously served as general manager of the KT Wiz from 2019 to 2021, is now the sixth former KBO player to have held both general manager and field manager roles in the league. As a player, Lee had an illustrious career spanning 18 seasons with 2,001 games, 1,727 hits, 162 home runs, and 857 RBIs. He was known for his leadership skills, particularly with the Hyundai Unicorns, with whom he won four Korean Series titles. After retiring, Lee worked as a television analyst and then as a hitting coach and head of player development for the Wiz. The Landers cited Lee's "servant leadership style," effective communication, and deep knowledge of the KBO as key reasons for his appointment, aiming to establish a new direction and stronger team dynamics under his guidance.