DAEJEON — Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon will add 3,000 seats after repeated sellouts left fans struggling to secure tickets, expanding capacity from 17,000 to 20,000.
Daejeon City said it signed an investment agreement with the Hanwha Eagles on the 6th at the ballpark to expand the stadium. The city plans to complete administrative procedures by September 2027, begin construction in October that year during the professional baseball offseason, and finish the expansion by March 2028. The seating capacity will grow about 18% three years after the ballpark opened in March 2025.
The Hanwha Eagles will cover 25% of total project costs, estimated at up to 13 billion won ($9.1 million). In return for the club's contribution, the city will work to reduce costs and expedite administrative procedures, while the Eagles will improve facilities to boost operating efficiency at the stadium. Daejeon Mayor Huh Tae-jung and Hanwha Eagles CEO Park Jong-tae also agreed to expand cooperation to develop professional baseball and stimulate the local economy.
Seating shortages emerged at Hanwha Life Ballpark in its first year of operation. The occupancy rate reached 99% this season, and cumulative home attendance hit 1.23 million, topping 1 million for the first time. The ballpark recorded its 50th sellout of the season on the 4th of this month. As tickets became harder to obtain on weekends and for marquee matchups, calls from fans to add seats grew louder.
"We agreed to work actively with the Hanwha Eagles to resolve the seating shortage," Huh said. "We will move quickly on the expansion so that more residents can enjoy professional baseball."
