Local basketball legend Kang Dong-hee convicted of embezzlement, baseball hero Lim Chang-yong convicted of fraud
Korean sports heroes Kang Dong-hee and Lim Chang-yong each received jail terms for their crimes on Thursday, cementing their fall from grace after decorated careers in their respective fields.
Kang, aged 58 and former point guard in the Korean Basketball League, was found guilty of embezzlement and breach of trust by the Incheon District Court and sentenced to jail for 14 months. Four people involved in the operation of his basketball class also received punishment, ranging from a suspended term to one year in prison. The court did not detain Kang in court, giving him the chance to compensate for the financial damages he inflicted.
He is accused of embezzling 180 million won ($126,000) from funds belonging to his basketball class between May and October of 2018 and conspiring with the four other defendants in the case. He also allegedly used 21 million won of the firm's money to pay for his lawyer and get a new office.
The incident is the latest of legal troubles faced by the once-famed point guard post-retirement. Once called a "magician on the court" for his ball handling and ability to run the fast-break, he was found in 2013 to have rigged several matches as head coach of KBL's Wonju DB Promy.
For that, he received a 10-month prison term and the KBL slapped him with a life-time ban.
Kang is also under investigation for a separate embezzlement case for allegedly using 220 million won of his firm's money for personal use between March of 2019 and October of 2021.
Gambling issues bring Lim down again
Lim, 48, was also a local legend. His pitching career spanned across Korea, Japan and even a short tenure with the Chicago Cubs of the Major Baseball League. But he reaffirmed his notoriety as a trouble-maker Thursday when the Gwangju District Court handed him eight months in prison for fraud, in relation to unpaid gambling debt from 2019.
Lim was convicted for burrowing 150 million won from an acquaintance in the Philippines to spend on gambling, and failing to pay back 80 million won. The court did not arrest Lim in court, saying he does not pose a flight risk.
The former pitcher admitted to being indebted while gambling, but claimed that he borrowed 70 million won in casino chips, which was paid back in full. He said he plans to appeal the ruling.
Lim is considered to have one of the best fastballs in the history of the Korea Baseball Organization. During his heyday in Japan, his sidearm throw recorded a velocity of around 160 kilometers per second. However, his substantial talent was accompanied by numerous scandals including infidelity, gambling and tax arrears.
In 2003, he was found to have had an affair with two other women outside of his marriage. Before 2015, adultery was considered a crime in Korea. In 2015, it was discovered that he had been one of the Samsung Lions players involved in illegal gambling in Macau. He was sentenced to a 10 million won fine and the scandal eventually cut his Lions career short.
South Korea’s Criminal Act punishes gambling with a fine of up to 10 million won, with up to three years in prison or a 20 million won fine for habitual gambling.
Lim was also convicted for fraud in 2021, after not paying gambling debt, and for habitual gambling in 2022. For the former, he received a 1 million won fine and for the latter, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
