The Hanwha Eagles (한화 이글스) have decided not to renew their contract with manager Kim Kyung-moon. The team said it plans to appoint a new manager when Kim’s three-year contract expires at the end of this season. Kim also said before Saturday’s season finale that he would not return to Hanwha next year. Ahead of the final game, Hanwha had already secured ninth place among 10 teams, with 57 wins, 82 losses and 4 ties.

Background and context

Kim took over as Hanwha’s manager in June 2024. Last year, he led the team to its first Korean Series appearance since 2006, but Hanwha lost to the LG Twins (LG 트윈스) in five games. According to one report, Hanwha signed Kim to a three-year contract at the time, worth a total of 2 billion won.

The team’s results last year and its standing this year show how sharply its performance changed in the span of a season. One report said Kim steadied the team in his first year and that Hanwha finished second in the regular season last year. This year, however, the team secured ninth place before even playing its season finale. The decision shows that reaching the Korean Series the previous season does not, by itself, guarantee a manager’s job, but the available information does not establish the specific reasons the team chose not to renew Kim’s contract.

At Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark (대전 한화생명볼파크), Kim told reporters that this was his final game and said he was sorry to the fans for the many losses. He also said he felt heavy-hearted to be leaving without having made the team better, and expressed gratitude to the players, coaches and front-office staff he had worked with. One report said Kim had won more than 1,000 games as a professional baseball manager and had finished as Korean Series runner-up five times. His achievements and disappointments with Hanwha will become one of the final chapters of that career.

What this news means

The team said it is moving forward with the appointment of a new manager, but has not disclosed any candidates or a timeline. What is currently confirmed, therefore, is the decision to make a change—not how the team will be managed or how it is expected to perform next season.

A managerial change can also affect how the roster and coaching staff are managed. For example, even if a player is wondering how their role might change under a new manager, the information currently available does not indicate that any particular player’s playing time or position is set to change. For fans, key questions heading into next season may include whether the team can build on the run that took it to last year’s Korean Series and how it will address the reasons for this year’s ninth-place finish.

One report said general manager Son Hyuk will also leave Hanwha when his contract expires. If both the manager and general manager are changing, it will be worth watching how the team’s decision-making structure continues alongside the appointment of a new manager. However, this information comes from that report; no successor as general manager or subsequent personnel plans by the team have been confirmed.

What is confirmed and what remains unknown

Confirmed facts

  • Kim Kyung-moon took over as Hanwha’s manager in June 2024, and his three-year contract expires at the end of this season.
  • Hanwha said it plans not to renew his contract and to appoint a new manager.
  • Kim said himself before Saturday’s game that he would not return to Hanwha next year.
  • Hanwha secured ninth place with 57 wins, 82 losses and 4 ties before its season finale.
  • Last year, Hanwha reached the Korean Series for the first time since 2006 but lost to LG in five games.

What remains unknown

  • Who Hanwha’s next manager will be, and when the appointment will be made.
  • The specific reasons the team decided not to renew Kim’s contract.
  • How the roster or coaching staff’s roles will change under the new manager.
  • How the team’s management will be appointed after general manager Son Hyuk.

What readers should look for

  • When Hanwha announces its next manager, readers should look for the timing of the appointment and the team’s stated direction for managing the club.
  • After reports about the expiration of general manager Son Hyuk’s contract, readers can watch for an official announcement from the team and consider it separately from the managerial appointment.
  • When assessing expectations for next season, readers should consider both last year’s Korean Series appearance and this year’s confirmed ninth-place finish.

References