SEOUL, South Korea -- Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Chan Ho Park will miss the World Baseball Classic after quitting South Korea's national team.
Park, who finalized a $2.5 million, one-year contract with the Phillies last week, said Tuesday he needed to focus on trying to become a starter for the World Series champions.
"I'm very sorry to my fans and the people who wanted me to play in the WBC," said Park, who briefly left the podium after breaking into tears. "I won't be playing for the national team anymore."
The 35-year-old right-hander said he was unsure about his status with the Phillies and needed to focus on securing a spot with the team.
"As I'm going to the Phillies, I will do my best there to achieve my goal of becoming a starter," Park said.
The second World Baseball Classic is scheduled for March 5-23, with 16 teams competing.
At the inaugural tournament in 2006, Japan beat Cuba for the title, with South Korea and the Dominican Republic reaching the semifinals.