Hanwha Eagles Hire Ryu Ji-hyun on Three-Year Deal

The Hanwha Eagles hired former South Korea national-team manager Ryu Ji-hyun on Tuesday, October 13, handing the Asian Games-winning coach a three-year contract worth 2 billion won as the club begins a major rebuild after a ninth-place KBO season.

Ryu becomes the 15th manager in Eagles history. Hanwha said the 55-year-old was the right choice to turn the team into a sustainable contender, one year after the Eagles reached the Korean Series and then followed that breakthrough with a sharp decline.

• Contract: Three years, 2 billion won ($1.48 million)
• Previous KBO club: LG Twins, 2021–22
• 2026 international results: WBC quarterfinal and Asian Games gold
• First team meeting: Friday, October 16

Ryu returns to the KBO after international success

Ryu’s appointment follows a successful year with South Korea. He guided the national team into the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals in March before winning gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September, Korea’s fifth consecutive baseball title at the event.

His only previous KBO managerial spell came with the LG Twins. LG went 159-113-16 across the 2021 and 2022 regular seasons, the best record in the league over that two-year stretch, but the club did not convert those results into a Korean Series appearance.

Ryu remained closely connected to the modern game during his time away from club management, working in broadcasting and leading the national team. He said the period gave him opportunities to study Major League Baseball systems and wider international trends that he can now bring back to the KBO.

Hanwha targets a sustainable return to contention

The Eagles chose not to retain Kim Kyung-moon after his contract expired. Kim helped take Hanwha to the 2025 Korean Series, the franchise’s first appearance in the championship round since 2006, but the club slumped to 57-83-4 in 2026 after losing starting pitchers Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss.

Ryu arrives with a reputation for improving team defense and using data in scouting and player selection. His background as an All-Star shortstop and longtime LG coach also gives Hanwha a manager with extensive experience in infield play, baserunning and game strategy.

“I will do my best to realize the club’s vision of building a top contender,” Ryu said after the appointment. His first priorities will be completing the coaching staff, meeting the players and setting the schedule for Hanwha’s closing camp.

The Eagles also appointed longtime club employee Seok Jang-hyun as general manager, placing new leadership in both the dugout and front office as preparations begin for the 2027 season.