Ryu Joong Il-ho, the first training session for Premier 12... "Except Son Joo-young, Koo Ja-wook will be difficult."

The national baseball team, led by head coach Ryu Joong-il, has started tempering in preparation for the Premier 12 next month.

The national team, excluding 11 players from KIA and Samsung, which are playing the Korean Series, sweated for nearly two hours on the first day of the convocation at Gocheok Sky Dome.

Manager Ryu Joong-il said that LG Son Joo-young was excluded due to injury and Samsung Koo Ja-wook is also unlikely to play, adding that he is considering a substitute.

He added that his goal is to gain experience toward the 2026 WBC and at the same time advance to the semifinal super round in Japan.

Premier 12 will feature the world's top 12 countries, and Korea will face Taiwan, Cuba, Japan, Dominica, and Australia in Group B in turn.