WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - CHINESE TAIPEI VS KOREA

March 8, 2026

Hyesong Kim

Tokyo Dome

Team Korea

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Good morning, yesterday you were defeated by Japan but you guys played very hard till the last inning. Do you think you have confidence from yesterday's defeat against Team Japan, and what's your team's atmosphere of this morning?

HYESEONG KIM: First and foremost, last night we played well, although we were defeated. All our players put everything out on the field, and so in today's contest, we are proud of ourselves and we are planning to focus and play hard this afternoon, too.

Q. Comparing to the daily regular season, you guys are playing on a daily basis. How is your condition, because you played last night and you're playing a day game today. Are you tired?

HYESEONG KIM: Last night until midnight, we played, and today, we had woke up early in the morning to be prepared.

Yes, I am a bit tired. So in order to get rid of tiredness, as soon as we get back to the hotel, we had a quick dinner. All of my team are trying to get sleep time as long as we can do and with that limitation, we had enough preparation for today's game.

Q. Looking back at the Czech game, you hurt some fingers. How is your condition right now?

HYESEONG KIM: Our spring training in Okinawa, I got hurt my body, but it's not so serious injury and I was and he canning to be back when we go to Osaka. Our medical staff helped me a lot, so once I arrived in Tokyo, I'm good enough to play a game, so I have nothing to worry about playing a game today.

Q. At the spring squad in Okinawa, you swing very hard with the long-distance ball carried, and your challenge, keep going. Last night, although you were defeated, you've got a late-inning RBI single, and in such a clutch situation, although lefty, and you are switch-hitters, are you going to change if you face a lefty, you go right-handed batter and if you face righty, you put the left-hand side of hitter. Are you going to play like that?

HYESEONG KIM: Today's opponent starter, it's a right-handed pitcher, so as I'm a switch-hitter, I'm planning to be on base -- have an at-bat as a lefty.

If they change the pitchers, yes, there's a possibility to hit right-handed.

Q. The Tokyo Dome is packed, sellout crowd. Although it's not a home game, what's your team's clubhouse atmosphere playing in front of 40,000-plus audience?

HYESEONG KIM: First and foremost we travel to different countries, and it's an unusual environment, including the baseball surface. But even those conditions, we have a lot of our supporters and fans coming from Korea, too.

So I don't really feel this is an away game. I have enjoyed playing with a lot of the fans together. Today's contest, yeah, I am and expecting this kind of similar environment is going to happen, so I'm looking forward to it.