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Korea to host Czech Republic in exhibition baseball games in Seoul

Published: 28 Jul. 2025, 16:37

Czech Ambassador to Korea Ivan Jancarek, left, and KBO Commissioner Heo Koo-youn hold a sign showing an upcoming series of exhibition baseball games in Seoul between Korea and the Czech Republic, after their signing ceremony at the KBO headquarters in southern Seoul on July 28. [YONHAP]

Korea will host the Czech Republic for a pair of baseball exhibition games in Seoul this fall under an agreement signed Monday.

The KBO announced it reached a deal with the Czech Baseball Association to pit their respective national teams against each other on Nov. 8 and 9 at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul.

KBO Commissioner Heo Koo-youn and Czech Ambassador to Korea Ivan Jancarek signed the agreement during a ceremony at the KBO headquarters on Monday.

The KBO announced that the two matches will be part of the "K-Baseball Series," launched in 2024, featuring exhibition games against Cuba. This initiative aims to provide the national team with an opportunity to compete against other countries during the KBO offseason.

After playing the Czech Republic, Korea will travel to Tokyo to face Japan on Nov. 15 and 16.

The Czech Republic is an emerging baseball country, ranked 15th in the World Baseball Softball Federation rankings — the third-highest position among European nations.

The Czech Republic made its World Baseball Classic (WBC) debut in 2023 and competed in Pool B alongside Korea, Japan, Australia and China. The European team will also play at next year's WBC, up against Korea, Japan, Australia and Chinese Taipei in Pool C.

"I am pleased to invite the Czech national team, a baseball power in Europe, for games here in Korea," Heo said. "We hope that these games will further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries, which already have a strong industrial connection, and will also help both of our national teams to have success at next year's WBC."

Ambassador Jancarek said the baseball agreement is the latest indication that bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and Korea will continue to improve.

Petr Ditrich, president of the Czech Baseball Association, thanked the KBO for extending its invitation to his national team, saying that Czechia looks up to the Korean national team as its role model and it will try to learn more from the host country come November.

Yonhap