Baseball Field of Dream Completed at Gijang-gun Busan

(Source: Internet)

‘Gijang-Hyundai Motor Dream Ballpark’, the largest amateur baseball field in Korea, was completed on August 10, 2016 in Gijang-gun, Busan.

With a 196,515㎡ area, the Gijang-Hyundai Motor Dream Ballpark is located at Dongbaek-ri, Ilgwang-myeon, Gijang-gun. The Ballpark consists of four regular baseball fields and subsidiary facilities.

One baseball field is covered with natural grass and has a capacity of 1,200 spectators. The distance from home plate to the fence is 122 meters at the center and 98 meters on the right and left sides. This field could be used for minor league baseball games.

The other three fields are covered with artificial turf and have a capacity of 700 spectators. The distance from home plate to the fence is 110 meters at the center and 95 meters on the right and left sides.

Busan Metropolitan City, Gijang-gun and Hyundai Motor Company signed an agreement to establish a ‘Baseball Field of Dreams’ to promote baseball for amateur players and youth in 2012. Gijang-gun provided the site for the baseball fields, and Hyundai Motor Company built four baseball fields with a total cost of 20 billion won.

The 2016 Women's Baseball World Cup will be held at the ballpark from September 3 to 11 with players from 12 countries including Korea, Japan, USA and Cuba participating.

The Ballpark will open for amateur and youth baseball teams, middle and high school baseball teams, but also provide an off-season training field for professional baseball teams.

The registration for amateur baseball players will be available from the middle of October. The fee will be 220,000 won for three hours during weekdays and 200,000 won for 2 hours and 30 minutes during the weekend.

In addition, the Korea Baseball Organization’s (KBO) Korea Baseball Hall of Fame, one baseball experience hall and one indoor baseball practice field will be built around the ballpark by the end of 2018.

Busan Metropolitan City and Gijang-gun plan to complete Korea’s unique ‘Baseball Theme Park’.