What contract did KT Wiz give manager Lee Kang-chul?

KT Wiz signed Lee Kang-chul to a three-year contract worth 3.4 billion won. The agreement includes an annual salary of 800 million won and a 1 billion-won signing bonus, making him the highest-paid manager in KBO history.

Why did KT Wiz give Lee Kang-chul a record contract?

Lee led KT Wiz to its first Korean Series title in 2021 and helped the club win a franchise-record 90 games this year. The Wiz finished first in the regular season and advanced directly to the Korean Series.

What is Lee Kang-chul’s record as KT Wiz manager?

Lee has managed KT Wiz since 2019 and has a regular-season record of 618 wins, 501 losses and 29 ties in 1,148 games. The Wiz made the postseason in six of his eight seasons in charge.

KBO regular-season champions Wiz reward manager with record contract

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Summary

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul signed a record three-year contract Monday. The deal is worth 3.4 billion won and makes Lee the highest-paid manager in Korea Baseball Organization history. Lee has led the Wiz since 2019, guiding them to their first Korean Series title in 2021 and a franchise-record 90 regular-season wins this year. The Wiz will begin the Korean Series on Nov. 2.

Key Facts

Lee’s contract includes an annual salary of 800 million won and a signing bonus of 1 billion won.
The new deal surpasses the three-year, 3 billion-won contract signed by LG Twins manager Youm Kyoung-youb last November.
Lee’s previous three-year contract was worth 2.4 billion won and was set to expire after this season.
Lee has recorded 618 wins, 501 losses and 29 ties in 1,148 regular-season games with the Wiz.
The Wiz reached the postseason in six of Lee’s eight seasons as manager.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 19, 2026 2:45 pm KST

KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-chul addresses fans at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, after clinching the Korea Baseball Organization regular-season title with a 9-0 win over the Lotte Giants, Oct. 5. Yonhap

The Korean baseball regular-season champions KT Wiz rewarded their manager, Lee Kang-chul, with a record contract Monday.

The Wiz said they signed Lee to a new three-year deal worth 3.4 billion won ($2.6 million), making him the highest-paid manager in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history. Lee will make 800 million won in annual salary and received a signing bonus of 1 billion won.

Lee's deal surpasses the three-year, 3 billion-won contract signed by the LG Twins skipper Youm Kyoung-youb last November.

Lee's previous three-year contract, which paid him 2.4 billion won, was set to expire after this season.

Lee has been at the Wiz's helm since 2019. He led the Wiz to their first postseason in 2020 and then to their first-ever Korean Series title in 2021.

This year, the Wiz won a franchise-record 90 games to finish first in the regular season and advance directly to the Korean Series, which will begin Nov. 2.

The Wiz made the postseason in six of Lee's eight seasons in charge. The 60-year-old has recorded 618 wins, 501 losses and 29 ties in 1,148 regular-season games with the Wiz.

Lee thanked the Wiz management for their support this season and for giving him such a lucrative deal.

"Our season is not over yet, and I will try to put the team at the top at the end," Lee said. "I will also try to develop this team into a perennial contender."

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