Busan's Sajik Baseball Stadium to host 2023 KBO All-Star game

Fans watch a game between the Lotte Giants and the LG Twins at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on Oct. 8, 2022. [NEWS1]

The 2023 KBO All-Star game will be held at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on July 15, returning to the southern city that prides itself on being the home of Korean baseball for the first time since 2007.

The KBO announced Tuesday that the decision to hold this year’s All-Star game at Sajik was made on Monday when the league’s board of directors met. The league also announced that the amount paid to players and coaches that participate in the game will be doubled from 1 million won ($770) to 2 million won.

The KBO also announced the introduction of a new fielding award created this year to recognize the best defenders in the league.

Details on the award, including its name and how many awards will be given each season, are yet to be announced.

The KBO does not currently have a defensive award similar to the MLB’s Gold Glove awards, with the Korean league’s equivalent Golden Glove awards given to the best offensive player in every position.

In the same press release, the KBO also announced that the league will work on mid- and long-term plans to improve the competitive of the national team following its group-stage exit from the World Baseball Classic earlier this month.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]