Shortstop Kim Jae-ho retires after 21 years with Bears

Kim Jae-ho of the Doosan Bears celebrates after hitting an RBI single against the Kia Tigers during a Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Sept. 19. Yonhap

Veteran shortstop Kim Jae-ho has decided to retire after spending his entire 21-year career in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with the Doosan Bears.

The Bears said Thursday that Kim had recently told the Seoul-based club about his intent to call it quits. He is 39 years old.

Kim owns the Bears franchise record for regular-season games played with 1,793.

He was drafted by the Bears in 2003 and made his KBO debut the following year. But it wasn't until 2014 that Kim established himself as an everyday player.

Kim was an integral part of the Bears' Korean Series-winning teams in 2015, 2016 and 2019, offering his typically steady defense and delivering key hits. Kim appeared in 13 Korean Series games in those three years and batted 13-for-38 (.342) with five RBIs, 10 walks and 10 runs scored.

Kim logged 95 games in postseasons and had a .255/.358/.300 line.

In his 1,793 regular-season games, Kim batted .272/.356/.366 with 54 home runs, 600 RBIs and 79 steals.

Kim earned back-to-back Golden Glove awards at shortstop in 2015 and 2016 as the best overall player at that position.

"I'd like to thank Doosan for giving me a chance to retire after having played for just this one team," Kim said. "It took me a long time to blossom as a player, and fans of the Doosan Bears have stuck with me all along. That's why I was able to play as long as I did. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Although I am taking off this uniform, my heart will always be with the Doosan Bears."

The Bears said they will hold a retirement ceremony for Kim sometime during the 2025 season. (Yonhap)