�

In an interesting twist the sale of the Korean Baseball Organization’s Hyundai Unicorns to ship manufacturer STX has fallen through.

STX, established as the sole bidder for the Unicorns by the KBO, had initially agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to buy the Suwon-based baseball club last month. However, talks were slowed after the company got tangled up in an industrial spying scandal involving its corporate rival, Doosan Heavy Industries, earlier this month, which resulted in a big blow to its public image and a dip in stock prices.

The team, historically one of the most successful KBO franchises, is now in limbo, but is likely to be funded by the KBO for the 2008 season.

On a personal note: my wife�is chemical engineer at�a company�similar in size and scope to STX.�The company already owns both a pro soccer team and a pro volleyball team, so I’m hoping they’ll pony up and buy the Unicorns.�

Also, in a week I’m moving to Ulsan, a mid-sized city�that already has a�Korean pro basketball team and a soccer team that plays in a stadium (formerly used for the 2002 World Cup) within walking distance to my new apartment. It is the biggest Korean city without a baseball team, so moving it to Ulsan would be logical.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why doesn’t your wife’s company buy the team, move it to Ulsan and install you as the manager? The thought occurred to me as well, but let me set the record straight now–I wouldn’t have signed on to co-author this blog with Jackson, just to throw that out the window four months in.

Of course, should East Windup Chronicle continue to take off, one year from now my mind may have changed. At that point I would be a fool to not entertain such offers.