The Premier 12 national team left for the finals..."My first goal is to make it to the semifinals".

[Anchor]
The national baseball team that will compete in the national competition and Premier 12 has left for Taiwan, the site of the showdown.

Coach Ryu Joong-il said his primary goal is to pass the preliminary round and reach the semifinals.

I'm reporter Yang Si-chang.

[Reporter]
Coach Ryu Joong-il and baseball team players get off the bus and enter the airport's arrival hall.

Fans who came to the airport to see the players from the early dawn of the day were constantly pressing the camera shutters,
After completing the
departure process, the players are surrounded by fans, taking pictures, signing autographs, and expressing their gratitude.Please take a picture of

" together. Let's take a picture together. Take it together,")


After the call-up on the 24th of last month, the national baseball team, which was training at Gocheok Dome in Seoul, boarded a plane to Taiwan five days before the first game.

We plan to play a warm-up match with the Taiwanese professional team before the competition while adapting to the weather, time difference, and food.

The team tied to Group B along with South Korea in the qualifying round is no match for either team, including Japan, Cuba, the Dominican Republic or Australia, as well as the host Taiwan.

Coach Ryu Joong-il, who started rebuilding the national team through a generational change, aimed to secure second place in the super round.

Although it is evaluated as lacking starters and long-shot power, on the contrary, the strong bullpen and well-organized lineup are the strengths of the national team.

[Ryu Joong-il / Baseball team coach: Let's aim for the semifinals first, and then go to Japan and go to the Super Round. The middle pitchers are all in good condition, so I'll trust them well.]

Song Sung-moon, who wore the Taegeuk mark for the first time and wore the captain's armband, expressed his ambition to win four of the five qualifying matches.

[Song Sung-moon / Captain of the national baseball team: The preliminary round is about 4 wins and 1 loss, so we will come back with good results that fans want]

The national baseball team, which has begun preparing for the tournament in earnest, will play its first game of the tournament against Taiwan, the host country, on the 13th.

It's YTN Yang Si-chang.