When we reach out to someone who has helped us in difficult times, how can we easily turn our back on them? The NC Dinos had the opportunity to return to their home ground in Changwon, but they did not make an immediate decision. They emphasized that they would fulfill their schedule in Ulsan, which is their 'temporary home ground.'
On the morning of the 10th, NC announced its position regarding the announcement made by Changwon City on the 9th that the 'maintenance of facilities for the reopening of Changwon NC Park Masan Stadium will be completed by May 18th.'
The team stated, "First, we thank Changwon City for their response plan. However, we plan to proceed with games at Munsoo Baseball Stadium in Ulsan starting May 16 as scheduled."
On the 9th, Changwon City held an emergency press conference and noted, "Changwon Facilities Corporation and the NC Dinos conducted an emergency safety inspection of the baseball stadium from the 1st to the 22nd of last month immediately after the accident and received a B grade rating, indicating no functional impairment from a professional institution." They explained, "Changwon City has formed a joint response team with the Facilities Corporation and the NC team to completely remove the 309 louvers installed in the stadium and the steel parking lot, including the louvers at the accident site. We have completed all measures related to the additional investigation of the lower viewing seats and the rooftop steel components, as requested by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport."
They added, "We will focus our capabilities on responding quickly for the reopening and expect that additional measures arising from the second emergency safety inspection by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will be addressed this weekend, and all maintenance for reopening will be completed by next week. We will immediately initiate discussions for reopening to prevent further damage to citizens and the NC players," with the city specifying the date as the 18th.
Changwon NC Park was closed following a fatal accident on the 29th of last month when exterior finishing louvers fell. Although it is a baseball stadium, it could not hold baseball games. Emergency safety inspections were carried out, and a joint response team was formed with Changwon City, Changwon Facilities Corporation, and the team. The team proactively conducted emergency safety inspections, while the Facilities Corporation followed up with an emergency safety check at the request of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
During this process, the NC players had to continue their road life without a guaranteed return. Although all emergency safety inspections were conducted, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport deemed that fundamental safety measures such as detailed safety inspections were necessary. Ultimately, a decision to indefinitely postpone reopening was made during the final safety measure implementation meeting held on the 2nd with officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
After this decision, the NC sought a temporary home ground to prevent further disruption to the league. At this time, Ulsan City stepped in. Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom began showing interest in sports, especially baseball, since last year, and maintained a close relationship with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). In April, renovations for artificial turf were completed. As Ulsan City expressed its willingness to actively assist, the search for an alternate venue did not take long.
Lee Jin-man, NC's representative, stated, "During the holiday period, we rapidly reviewed several alternative venues with the support of the KBO and ultimately selected Munsoo Baseball Stadium through negotiations with Ulsan City. Notably, Ulsan City agreed to take full responsibility for the maintenance and repairs of Munsoo Baseball Stadium. I want to express my deep gratitude to Ulsan City for their proactive cooperation." NC received hospitality in Ulsan that it had not experienced in its home ground of Changwon.
Although there was a fatal accident and it was a safety-related issue, a cautious approach could have been taken; however, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Changwon City, and the Facilities Corporation all failed to take a responsible stance. Prior to this, both Changwon City and the Facilities Corporation showed reluctance to take responsibility. Mayor Chung Nam-pyo of Changwon was sentenced to six months in prison with a one-year probation for violating the Public Official Election Act, leading to a mandatory nullification of his election. This resulted in a lapse in governmental authority, and since January, the chairman of the Changwon Facilities Corporation has remained vacant.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also reached a conclusion regarding the indefinite postponement of reopening, but subsequently, the decision to reopen lies with the joint response team comprising Changwon City, the Facilities Corporation, and the NC team.
Following this, dissatisfaction in the local economy around Changwon NC Park grew, and the city's past behavior and misdeeds towards the baseball team were 'exhumed,' leading to public discontent. It is generally believed that this led Changwon City to take action once again. Changwon City failed to adequately welcome its home team, the NC Dinos, and it seems that the city did not regard the NC Dinos, its home team, as a community with a shared fate in this incident.
The NC now seeks to avoid getting caught up in the public relations battle of Changwon City, thanks to the reliable support from Ulsan City. The team emphasized, "The schedule announced by Changwon City is not final, but a target for completing maintenance. The team plans to confirm the completion status of the actual stadium inspection and decide on future plans after internal discussions."
They further asserted, "The NC Dinos are concerned that if the maintenance schedule of Changwon City is delayed, it could cause confusion and greater disappointment for our fans. We also consider it important to fulfill our duty towards Ulsan City, which supported our temporary home games. The team plans to carefully decide on future plans in consultation with the KBO and Ulsan City after closely monitoring the actual maintenance situation," indicating their intention to avoid rushing back unless Changwon City is fully prepared.
They added, "We ask for the understanding and continued support of our fans and will continue to cooperate closely with Changwon City and Changwon Facilities Corporation for the safe operation of Changwon NC Park."
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