KT coach Lee Kang-cheol renews contract for 3 years and 3.4 billion won, the highest ever for a professional baseball coach

Down payment of 1 billion won and annual salary of 800 million won... All guaranteed amount

4th contract with KT alone... ‘Big gift’ ahead of the Korean Series

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Kyung-yoon = Coach Lee Kang-cheol, who led KT Wiz to the 2026 professional baseball regular season championship, received the highest treatment ever for a KBO League head coach and renewed his contract.

KT announced on the 19th, “We have signed a contract with manager Lee Kang-cheol for a three-year contract for a total of 3.4 billion won.”

The contract deposit is 1 billion won and the annual salary is 800 million won, all of which are guaranteed amounts.

Manager Lee Kang-cheol surpassed the treatment of manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who signed a three-year contract with the LG Twins for a total of 3 billion won ahead of this season.

Director Lee is the fourth person to sign a contract at KT.

Coach Lee Kang-cheol first signed a three-year contract with KT for a total of 1.2 billion won in October 2018 while he was working as the Doosan Bears coach, and was recognized for his leadership by leading KT to the postseason for the first time in the 2020 season, the second season after taking office.

Accordingly, KT terminated the existing contract early and renewed a contract with manager Lee Kang-cheol for a three-year contract period and a total of 2 billion won.

KT has been reborn as the best team under coach Lee Kang-cheol.

They advanced to fall baseball every year until the 2024 season, and especially achieved the club's first combined championship in 2021.

In October 2023, KT re-signed a contract with coach Lee Kang-cheol, the highest-ranking current head coach at the time, for a three-year contract period and a total of 2.4 billion won.

KT failed to advance to the postseason last season due to the poor performance of foreign players, but this year recorded 90 wins, 49 losses, 5 draws, and a winning percentage of 0.647, winning the regular season and advancing directly to the Korean Series (KS).

KT finalized a contract to strengthen coach Lee Kang-cheol and the players ahead of KS.

Coach Lee Kang-cheol said, "This year, we were able to achieve good results thanks to the generous support from the group and the club," and added, "I am grateful to owner Park Yun-young, the president, the club, and the coaches and players who supported us by renewing our contract with good treatment."

He continued, “Because the season is not over yet, I will work hard to finish this season on a higher note,” and added, “I will continue to guide the team so that it can become a strong team that competes for the championship.”

◇ Historical professional baseball manager contract rankings (as of the 19th)

Ranking Director (Affiliation at time of contract) Contract details Remarks 1 Lee Kang-cheol (KT) 3 years (2027-2029) total KRW 3.4 billion

Down payment of 1 billion won + annual salary of 800 million won 2 Yeom Kyung-yeop (LG) 3 years (2026-2028) total KRW 3 billion

Down payment 700 million won + annual salary 700 million won + options 200 million won 3 Taehyung Kim (Doosan) 3 years (2020-2022) total 2.8 billion won

Down payment of 700 million won + annual salary of 700 million won 4 Beom-ho Lee (KIA) 3 years (2025-2027) Total 2.6 billion won

Down payment 500 million won + annual salary 500 million won + options 600 million won 5 Yeom Kyung-yeop (SK) 3 years (2019-2021) total 2.5 billion won

Down payment of 400 million won + annual salary of 700 million won

resign 6 Taehyung Kim (Lotte) 3 years (2024-2026) Total 2.4 billion won

Down payment of 600 million won + annual salary of 600 million won Lee Kang-cheol (KT) 3 years (2024-2026) Total 2.4 billion won

Down payment of 600 million won + annual salary of 600 million won