After the end of the 2022-2023 professional volleyball men’s and women’s season, the free agent (FA) market was virtually finished. In the men’s division, most of the original team remained, while in the women’s division, many changed their uniforms.
Men’s division, all except Na Kyung-bok remain
Na Gyeong-bok (29, KB Insurance) was the only player out of a total of 16 players who changed their uniform in the men’s volleyball FA market. KB Insurance signed a three-year contract with Na Kyung-bok for a maximum total of 2.4 billion won (600 million won in annual salary and 200 million won in options). Na Kyung-bok, who is about to enlist on the 24th, is scheduled to be discharged in October 2024, so the contract with KB starts from the 2024-2025 season. Na Gyeong-bok, who was first overall in the 2015-2016 rookie draft (Woori Card), will leave Woori Card, where she played for 8 seasons.메이저놀이터
Korean Air, which achieved the club’s first treble this season (won the KOVO Cup, regular league, and championship), succeeded in capturing all three free agent players. Lim Dong-hyeok (24) won 500 million won (annual salary of 350 million won, option is 150 million won), Cho Jae-young (32) is 406 million won (annual salary of 300 million won, option is 106 million won), and Yoo Kwang-woo (38) is 252 million won. He chose to remain on the condition of a three-year contract at 10,000 won (annual salary of 170 million won, option of 82 million won). Hyundai Capital, the runner-up in the championship match, also signed a contract with Heo Soo-bong (25) for an annual salary of 800 million won without an option, and will continue to accompany Moon Seong-min (37) and Park Sang-ha (37).
Women’s division, active transfer
In women’s volleyball, teams in the lower ranks are expected to reinforce their strength and compete fiercely for the ranking next season.
Founded in 2021, Pepper Savings Bank, which stayed at the bottom of the league for two consecutive years, won the Korea Expressway Corporation championship this season with Park Jeong-ah (30), the main player in women’s volleyball, under the condition of the maximum annual amount (775 million won), a total of 2.325 billion over 3 years signed a million-dollar contract. Pepper also recruited Chae Seon-ah (31), who played for KGC Ginseng Corporation, for a total of 300 million won over three years. Both Oh Ji-young (35) and Lee Han-bi (27), former national team liberos, who are internal free agents, were captured.
IBK Industrial Bank, which ranked 6th last season, signed a two-year, 900 million won contract with Hwang Min-kyung (33), who played an active part in Hyundai E&C. He continues to accompany internal free agent Kim Hee-jin (32). 5th place GS Caltex signed a contract with Jung Dae-young (42), the oldest active player and middle blocker, for a total of 300 million won for a year.
The top teams are suffering power leaks. Korea Expressway Corporation missed Park Jeong-ah and Jeong Dae-young, and runner-up Heungkuk Life Insurance caught Kim Yeon-kyung (35), but there is no additional recruitment except Kim Su-ji (36). Hyundai Engineering & Construction, which placed second in the regular season, did not make any other signings other than giving away Hwang Min-kyung.
In women’s volleyball, the Asian Quarter Tryout will be held for the first time from the 21st. Players from excellent Asian countries such as Thailand and Japan can be added to the existing foreign players and recruited one per team. Next month, for the first time since the corona crisis, face-to-face foreign player tryouts will be held in Turkey, Istanbul.
