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WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC SEMIFINALS AND FINAL

March 20, 2009

In-Sik Kim

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our formal interview session. We have Manager In Sik Kim joining us.

Q. Could you please talk a little bit about tomorrow's game and the pitcher you are going to be facing, Carlos Silva?
IN SIK KIM: I only saw Carlos Silva on television a couple of times, and I do not know anything more exactly.

Q. This is the second World Baseball Classic, obviously. Is there more excitement or less excitement, or how are your players reacting to it this time around compared to the first time several years ago?
IN SIK KIM: Can you repeat the question?

Q. What's different this time compared to the first World Baseball Classic? How are your players treating it? Do they view things anything differently? Are they excited? Less excited? What do they think about the other teams in this semifinal?
IN SIK KIM: WBC was opening for the very first time. There was the inaugural game three years ago, as far as the World Baseball Classic was concerned, and the world was excited. And we were excited that this was the World Baseball Classic. And it was true that we felt great about it, the first time, without knowing what to expect.
But three years later, as we go game by game, we're getting more excited, and we are meeting the world's best players. And we're very excited about it. We're excited about meeting with world class caliber players, and we're excited to meet with all of them and play with them.

Q. In the players of the past, do you have any idea of how you guys compare three years later? How is the ability different compared to three years ago as the caliber of players?
IN SIK KIM: I would say the difference, three years ago and now, is that three years ago, there were many experienced veteran players who are more aged. Compared to them, I would say they are younger, not as experienced. And some of the players are younger players, and most of them have played in the Olympics, and we won the Olympics. And they are working very hard.
Because of that, I believe in the future, over the next four years, I believe it will be important for the Olympics, and they will even be better four years later.

Q. I wanted to ask about both the health and the confidence level of your team. Have you had to make any changes for injuries entering this round? And how confident are you in your players against the major league teams you'll be facing?
IN SIK KIM: Of course, the players are already playing in the major league, and for the major league, they are each playing on teams. I believe most of the players are like that. However, I would say we may slightly fall off in terms of caliber, but we will work very hard, and we are going to be very arduous to the end.

Q. Would you say it's an advantage for your team that many of your pitchers -- your pitchers don't pitch in the major leagues, and the Venezuela players have not ever faced them? Is that an advantage for Korea?
IN SIK KIM: Of course, we may not know each other very well. However, for baseball, the better teams will have better results. I don't know what to say about that. However, we believe it is a great challenge that we face, and we believe we will meet the great challenge.

Q. Among the four teams that have advanced to the final four, to the semifinals, which is, in terms of the best possible team, strongest team?
IN SIK KIM: Can you repeat?

Q. Which is perhaps the best pitching team versus the best hitting team, if you are to select which teams are the best?
IN SIK KIM: Of course, we are in the final four, and we are at the semifinal stage. Sometimes you just need two best starting pitchers to make the top four. However, you may just have two starting pitchers who are excellent and you may have the advantage over the other teams. Such as maybe Venezuela and U.S. could have slight advantage over other teams, or perhaps Japan with many pitchers, they could be better. Overall, Japan have the best pitchers and the strongest pitchers.
In terms of offense, Venezuela is the best. With the U.S., I believe they are strongest in terms of hitting. But in terms of semifinal and finals, I believe all the teams have the best pitchers, but you could reach the semifinal/final with just some of the pitchers, not all of the pitchers, I could tell.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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