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Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin donates 200 million won to mark 20th anniversary of professional debut

Published: 09 Apr. 2026, 15:45

Seo Sun-won, secretary general of the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation, left, Ryu Hyun-jin, chairman of Ryu Hyun-jin Foundation, center, and announcer Bae Ji-hyun pose for a photo. [KOREA CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA FOUNDATION]

Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin donated 200 million won ($135,000) to charity to mark the 20th anniversary of his professional debut, the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation (KCLF) said Thursday.

Half will go to supporting children with cancer and rare diseases through KCLF. The other 100 million won went to the Ryu Hyun-jin Foundation, which supports public sports initiatives, including youth baseball programs, scholarships and equipment support.

The pitcher donated the funds during a ceremony held on Wednesday at the Orakai Songdo Park Hotel in Incheon. He attended the event along with his wife, announcer Bae Ji-hyun, Cho Su-bin, secretary general of the Ryu Hyun-jin Foundation, and Seo Sun-won, secretary general of the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation.

Ryu previously donated 100 million won to the KCLF in 2022 and 2023. The foundation said the donations have so far supported treatment costs for nine pediatric patients.

In recognition of his consistent efforts, Ryu was appointed last December as a "noble" member of the “KCLF Honors Club,” an honor given to donors who have made significant contributions to the foundation.

“I’m glad to be able to make a donation for children in such a meaningful year,” Ryu said. “After becoming a parent, I find myself thinking more about how important it is to cherish and protect children. I hope this can help children who are suffering.”

“It is truly moving to see his 20th debut anniversary marked through giving as a noble member of the KCLF Honors Club,” said secretary general Seo. “We sincerely appreciate the positive influence of Chairman Ryu Hyun-jin.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY RHEE ESTHER [[email protected]]