By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
GOVERNOR David M. Apatang, Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Jamika Taijeron, Commonwealth Ports Authority Executive Director Esther Ada, and Department of Public Works Secretary Ray Yumul were among the CNMI officials who welcomed the South Korean National Baseball Team to Saipan on Friday afternoon.
The team arrived for a two-week training camp ahead of the World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 5–17 in Tokyo, Japan.
In a statement, Taijeron said the visit underscores Saipan’s growing role in international sports.
Players arriving included Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kim Hye-seong, along with several stars from Korea’s baseball league.
Kim, 26, was a four-time Golden Glove winner in the Korea Baseball Organization before joining Major League Baseball. He signed with the Dodgers in January 2025 after a standout career in Korea.
The training camp has drawn local interest since the team’s arrival and highlights Saipan’s potential as a destination for international athletic programs.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
