On the 26th of February, the Korean national baseball team, under the management of Ryu Ji-hyun, secured a dominant 16-6 victory against the Samsung Lions during a training game held in Kadena, Okinawa. This match marked the team's fourth consecutive win in their series of preparation games leading up to the World Baseball Classic (WBC). An Hyun-min of KT Wiz hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and Kim Do-young of KIA Tigers followed with back-to-back home runs, showcasing their powerful batting as they collectively contributed to the team's total of 16 hits during the game.

Included among the noteworthy performances, starting pitcher So Hyeong-joon (KT) took the mound and delivered a solid 3-inning performance, allowing 6 hits and 2 runs. In contrast, reliever Jeong Woo-joo (Hanwha Eagles) pitched flawlessly with 3 strikeouts and no runs across 3 innings. The team is clearly finding its rhythm, ramping up its offense just a week before their opening game against the Czech Republic on March 5. The impressive performances from the young duo, An Hyun-min and Kim Do-young, are creating excitement and anticipation for their contributions in the upcoming WBC.

The national team is scheduled to play its last training game in Okinawa against KT on the 27th before heading to Osaka for two official evaluation games on the 28th, where they will be joined by major league players Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) and Kim Hye-seong (LA Dodgers). Following the training matches, Korea will face the Czech Republic, Japan on the 7th, Taiwan on the 8th, and Australia on the 9th during the WBC group stage.