Seoul: Less than a week into the free agency period in South Korean baseball, several significant player movements have occurred, with one veteran third baseman remaining with his team and another switching clubs for the first time in his career. In a bid for postseason success, a team made acquisitions that fans hope will be pivotal. According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) free agency began last Wednesday with 20 players available, and reliever Woo Kyu-min was the first to be signed, returning to the KT Wiz on a two-year contract. However, the most notable deal of the first day was Choi Jeong's contract, the league's all-time home run leader. Choi secured a four-year agreement worth 11 billion won (approximately US$7.9 million) with the SSG Landers, likely ensuring the 37-year-old will conclude his career with the franchise he has represented since 2005 when it was known as the SK Wyverns. Choi, who debuted in the KBO in 2005, has established himself as one of the league's mo st successful sluggers. He became the KBO's all-time home run leader in April with his 468th home run and concluded the 2024 season with a total of 495 homers, alongside leading the career tally with 1,461 runs scored. Another significant move involved third baseman Heo Kyoung-min, who departed the Doosan Bears after 13 seasons to join the KT Wiz on a four-year deal potentially worth up to 4 billion won. Previously, Heo had a four-year contract with the Bears, with an option for three more years at 2 billion won in total, which he declined, securing a more lucrative deal with the Wiz at the age of 34. The KT Wiz acquired Heo following the loss of two free agents to the Hanwha Eagles: shortstop Sim Woo-jun and starter Um Sang-back. Sim, known for his defensive skills and base-stealing ability, signed a four-year, 5 billion won contract on Thursday. Meanwhile, Um agreed to a four-year deal worth up to 7.8 billion won on Friday, providing the Eagles with a reliable starting pitcher. The Eagles have participat ed in only one postseason since 2007, and their dedicated fan base hopes for significant improvements as the team prepares to move into a new stadium in 2025. Elsewhere, the Lotte Giants retained their own free agents by signing closer Kim Won-jung to a four-year deal and setup man Koo Seung-min to a two-year contract with an option for two additional seasons. Since becoming the Giants' closer in 2020, Kim, 31, has recorded 132 saves, making him the second-highest in the league during that period and the franchise leader in saves. Koo, 34, who holds the franchise record with 121 career holds, had a challenging 2024 season but showed improvement in the latter half. In the KBO, free agents are categorized into three classes based on their salaries over the past three seasons, with varying compensation rules for each class. Class A includes players ranked in the top three in salary on their team and top 30 in the league, necessitating specific compensation if signed. Class B and Class C have different compensa tion requirements based on the player's salary rank within their team and the league. With fewer than 21 free agents available, teams are limited to signing a maximum of two free agents from outside, a limit the Eagles have reached.