Reliever Oh faces summons over gambling
By Nam Hyun-woo
Oh Seung-hwan
The prosecution will reportedly summon Korean reliever Oh Seung-hwan, 33, this week to question him for gambling overseas, overshadowing his bid to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).
The news came on the heels of prosecutors’ questioning of Oh’s former Samsung Lions team-mate Lim Chang-yong, who admitted that he placed bets worth some tens of millions of won in Macau. He was released by the Lions last month.
During the investigation of Lim, a former local gang member, surnamed Lee, who introduced him to gambling houses in multiple Southeast Asian countries, told prosecutors that Oh was also involved. Lee earlier told the prosecution that Lim placed bets worth hundreds of millions of won in Macau.
Prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office reportedly secured a list of people who frequented the gambling places.
Lee rented VIP rooms at a number of casinos in Macau and the Philippines and helped gamblers place bets with his money. The gamblers then paid the amount back to Lee after they returned to Korea.
The prosecution is investigating whether Oh and Lim were together. A prosecution official told local news agency News 1 that “the schedule for Oh’s summons is not yet set.”
Oh’s agent said in a press release that “Oh is at a critical point of signing a new contract with a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) or an MLB team and he wants to clear suspicions as soon as possible.”
“Should Oh face a summons, he will make clear statements and fully cooperate with the prosecution’s investigation,” he said.
The summons could deal a heavy blow to Oh’s bid to play in the MLB. After wrapping up a successful two-year stint with the Hanshin Tigers in NPB, Oh announced his big league intent and was scheduled to visit MLB’s 2015 Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., where some open market contracts will be signed this week. The Japanese club initially wanted to renew its contract with Oh, but now reportedly plans not to if he is prosecuted.
Oh posted 41 saves to lead the Central League this year along with a 2.83 earned run average and struck out 66 in 69 1/3 innings.
The prosecutions’ move is in line with a series of gambling scandals that hit the Samsung Lions. On Oct. 20, shortly before the Korean Series, the Lions apologized to the public following a report that three Lions players were under investigation for gambling overseas. The three players ― Yun Sung-hwan, Lim, and An Ji-man ― were left off the club’s Korean Series squad and the Lions subsequently allowed the Doosan Bears to snatch away the championship title that they had held for the four previous seasons.