Baseball season to resume this week after heat-forced stoppage

After a record-breaking heat wave wreaked havoc on the Korean baseball season last week, the sport is set to resume this week. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced that teams would return to their respective fields on Tuesday across the country, marking a significant end to the unprecedented summer break. While only three of the five games scheduled for last Tuesday took place, the league opted to cancel all remaining games of the week due to the relentless heat.

In response to the extreme conditions, the KBO announced that all subsequent games will commence at 7 p.m. instead of the usual 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays during the summer months. This decision was made to ensure player safety and comfort amid the sweltering temperatures.

The first cancellation occurred on August 1, with two games being scratched. The following day saw another game called off. Kia Tigers and the NC Dinos, two prominent teams, have yet to play a single game in August, with their last matches taking place on July 31. Both clubs will kick off the new week at home. The Tigers will host the Samsung Lions at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, while the Dinos will take on the Mariners at their home stadium.