Korea's first MLB player Park Chan-ho joins hands with a seed accelerator to help Korean entrepreneurs, who try to go global. Courtesy of Wikipedia
Korean baseball pitcher Park Chan-ho with 17 years of experience in the Major League Baseball (MLB) will offer helping hands to Korean startups that have set their eyes on markets in the United States.

SparkLabs, a seed accelerator, said on March 4, 2019, that Park will join the Seoul-based outfit, which assists entrepreneurs wade into offshore markets.

After making his MLB debut in 1994 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Park played in the big league through 2010 with several teams including the Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres.

The hard-throwing right-handed pitcher recorded 124 wins and 98 losses with an earned run average of 4.36.

“It is a great honor to welcome Park, the first Korean MLB player who led to other Koreans’ growth in the global scene,” said Kim Ho-min, a co-CEO of SparkLabs.

“After retirement, he became a role model for many, based on his social activities and mentoring. As such, I think that he will successfully buttress new startups, which are set to go global.”

Park, who made almost $900 million in the U.S. baseball league, set up the Park Chan-ho Scholarship Foundation here in 1997 to nurture youth baseball. In 2009, he also founded the Park Chan-ho Dream Foundation in the U.S.

In addition, Park has carried out various other activities to boost youth baseball and help underprivileged people.

“As a baseball player, success in the global market has always been a big issue for me,” Park said in a statement.

“I have had interests in startups, which do business in the world market. Hence, the partnership with SparkLabs carries more meaning for me. On top of my investment, I will support startups in various ways.”

Park has also been brisk in managing his revenue. In particular, he focused on real estate. Currently, Park owns a building worth $40 million in a wealthy district of southern Seoul among other properties. Plus, he operates a sports management company.

 
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