Professional baseball players from Lotte visited a gambling facility during the Taiwan spring camp, sparking controversy. The club stated it would have the players return to Korea immediately and respond sternly.

Lotte said on the 13th, “After interviewing the players and establishing the facts, we confirmed that Na Seung-yeop, Ko Seung-min, Kim Dong-hyuk, and Kim Se-min visited a venue classified as illegal in that country.” These players entered the gambling venue after finishing training on the 11th. The 12th was a team rest day.

Earlier, a video spread on social media and online communities showing Lotte players seated in a gaming venue with monitors. One individual also appeared to make inappropriate physical contact with a female staff member.

The players reportedly claimed they entered without recognizing that the venue was illegal. In Japan, pachinko is legal, but Taiwan bans all forms of gambling by law. Regarding the allegation of sexual harassment, the player was said to have firmly denied it.

The club said, “Regardless of the reason, we will immediately arrange for the four players who committed acts that violate KBO and club rules to return to Korea. We will report immediately to the KBO Clean Baseball Center. Depending on the outcome, the club will also take corresponding measures,” and added, “The club views the current situation seriously. Through a comprehensive review, we will respond sternly to any additional findings. We have also warned the entire team. We apologize for causing trouble.”

Under KBO baseball regulations, if a player gambles, he may face a suspension from participation of at least one month, or a suspension for at least 30 games, or a fine of at least $2,250 (3,000,000 KRW).

Lotte, currently conducting its first spring camp in Tainan, Taiwan, is enduring a turbulent winter. Before the camp, closer Kim Won-joong was diagnosed with a microfracture of a rib due to a traffic accident, and Choi Jun-yong was also diagnosed with a rib sprain and did not join the camp. Early in the camp, the private life of Jeong Cheol-won, who played a key late-inning relief role last year, also became a topic of controversy.