MLB MEGA STAR RYU RETURNS TO KOREA

[Anchor Lead]

Baseball star Ryu Hyun-jin has returned to Korea after topping the ERA rankings of the Major League and becoming the first pitcher of the National League at MLB All-Star Game. Although he did not win the Cy Young award given to the best pitcher of the year, he became the first Asian player to receive the first place vote.

[Pkg]

Looking upbeat, Ryu Hyun-jin has returned home after having the most stellar season of his seven-year Major League career. Although he did not win the Cy Young award, he became the first Asian pitcher to receive the first place vote.

[Soundbite] RYU HYUN-JIN : "There was a lot of talk and media reports about the Cy Young Award, but I did not care."

Ryu Hyun-jin finished second after Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets in the Cy Young Award vote held by 30 U.S. baseball reporters. A journalist from California who cast the first-place vote for Ryu said that the South Korean pitcher recorded the lowest ERA -- 1.45 -- as of August 11, and had the most multipliers. This fact was also highlighted during the announcement of the results of the vote.

[Soundbite] HOST OF CY YOUNG AWARD CEREMONY

From his nomination as the Dodgers' Opening Day starter for the 2019 season to becoming the first pitcher of the National League at MLB All-Star Game to the second place in the Cy Young Award vote -- Ryu Hyun-jin has had quite a season. All eyes are now on his FA prospects.

[Soundbite] RYU HYUN-JIN : "I want to focus on training. I will leave it entirely up to my agent to decide on my FA contract."

The Korean baseball star, who places more significance to his milestone of ranking first in E.R.A., is now preparing for the 2020 season.