Calls for clear rain rules

[Anchor]

Yesterday, in the match between the 1st and 2nd place teams in professional baseball held in Daejeon, the game was interrupted for a staggering 1 hour and 44 minutes due to rain, leading to a standoff among fans over whether it would be a cold game or if the game would resume.

With the rainy season beginning, there are increasing calls for clear criteria regarding game interruptions and progress.

This is reporter Lee Mu-hyung's report.

[Report]

Coincidentally, right after Hanwha Eagles' Noh Si-hwan hit a go-ahead timely hit in the bottom of the 5th inning, the rain intensified.

After the game was halted, even after 30 minutes and approaching an hour, the umpires were hesitant to declare a cold game.

[Commentary: "Since it was a one-point game and a 0.5 game difference between 1st and 2nd place, it was a situation where the game needed to continue."]

After a wait of 1 hour and 44 minutes, the game resumed.

LG Twins' Lee Ji-kang had to return to the mound, and by the time the game ended, a significant number of spectators had left their seats.

[Ahn Chi-hong/Hanwha infielder: "When it suddenly started to rain, I thought, 'Is the sky trying to help us?' But if I completely let go of my mind, it could be a problem when the game resumes..."]

The issue is that there are no clear criteria regarding whether to continue the game in case of rain.

The KBO League regulations only include clauses about yellow dust and fine dust, with no mention of rainfall.

The KBO explained, "It is a principle to make a comprehensive judgment based on weather forecasts, drainage facilities, stadium characteristics, and communication with the field," and particularly noted, "Considering recent climate change trends and stadium facilities, we are being as cautious as possible regarding game cancellations or interruptions."

This has left the decision entirely to the discretion of the supervisors and umpires, leading to ongoing controversies like last year's suspended game in the Korean Series.

There are also calls to designate a maximum waiting time, taking into account the 3 hours and 24 minutes that the KT-Hanwha game was interrupted two years ago.

With already several instances of game interruptions around 2 hours this season, it seems that more practical discussions will be necessary.

This is KBS News, Lee Mu-hyung.