Suwon KT, a professional basketball team, fired Song Young-jin and Choi Hyun-joon at the same time on the 20th. The club explained, "It is a decision to win." Former coach Song received a unilateral dismissal notice a week after sharing the direction of next season's operation with the club.

An official from KT said in a phone call on the 21st, "We have made a decision (to dismiss the coach and the general manager) to become a strong team." As for former coach Song, he did not implement a one-year option in his previous two-plus-one-year contract. Choi Hyun-joon, the general manager, is also dismissed due to the expiration of his contract.

Song reportedly signed a three-year contract with the club when he took office in 2023. However, according to the club, this was not a three-year contract but a two-year guarantee with one-year option.

Song served as KT's chief coach from 2015 to 2018, and from 2022 to 2023. When KT ranked eighth in the regular season league in the 2022-2023 season, KT appointed Song, who was its chief coach, as its new head coach. Song, who took the helm of a professional team for the first time, led KT to the championship game in his first year in charge. In the 2024-2025 season, his second year as a coach, he advanced to the semifinal playoff and ranked fourth in the final.
A club official explained, "I thought it was a power to win both domestic and foreign players, but after falling from the semifinal PO this time, I decided that change and reform were needed."

Former coach Song was notified of his dismissal while visiting the club's office to discuss free agents on the 20th. "I went to the office yesterday for an FA meeting and received a call from the general manager (former Choi Hyun-joon)," former coach Song said in a phone call on the 21st. "He said that the general manager and I went out together." Former coach Song said, "There was no prior word on the termination of the contract, and I just heard that the team president was angry." 토토사이트

KT's team had a meeting with former coach Song and former general manager Choi on the 13th about the next season's operation plan. "At that time (meeting on the 13th), we talked about selecting foreign players well and preparing for next season, and the atmosphere was good," former coach Song said. A week after that, the club unilaterally dismissed former coach Song.

Former general manager Choi said in a phone call on the 21st, "The club said it was trying to make a new change and said that the existing person should sacrifice for the cause." Former general manager Choi said, "It's not only possible to win the championship with skill and performance, but it's a shame that we simply decided to dismiss him based on the results and I'm sorry to coach Song."

KT has to enter FA negotiations with both the coach and the general manager vacant. The key is how to catch Heo Hoon, who is considered the biggest fish in the FA market.

As KT has also replaced its head coaches, five of the 10 teams (Busan KCC, Anyang Jeonggwanjang, Ulsan Hyundai Mobis, Goyang Sono, and Suwon KT) will be replaced after the 2024-2025 season ends. Jeonggwanjang, the head coaches of Hyundai Mobis and KT will also step down to lead their teams to advance to the postseason.