A South Korean court has ruled that former baseball player Im Hye-dong, facing assault charges, must pay 80 million won (approximately $60,000 USD) to Major League Baseball player Kim Ha-seong for violating an agreement. The Seoul Central District Court’s 25th Civil Division ruled in favor of Kim Ha-seong’s breach of contract lawsuit against Im Hye-dong. The dispute stemmed from a physical altercation at a Seoul bar in February 2021. Im Hye-dong, who was then a Korean baseball player, demanded compensation from Kim Ha-seong, who was serving in the military at the time. Kim Ha-seong ultimately agreed to pay 40 million won in exchange for Im Hye-dong’s promise to refrain from future contact and avoid any actions that would harm Kim. However, Im Hye-dong reportedly violated this agreement by continuing to contact Kim, prompting Kim to file a criminal complaint for assault in late 2022. This civil ruling adds to Im Hye-dong’s legal troubles, who faces a criminal investigation for assault. Im Hye-dong entered the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) in 2015, but never played in the major league and subsequently left the Nexen Heroes team.
