NC Dinos catcher Kim Hyung-jun speaks after receiving the defensive player award in the catcher category at the 2025 KBO League Awards Ceremony at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 24 last year. [Newsis]
NC Dinos catcher Kim Hyung-jun speaks after receiving the defensive player award in the catcher category at the 2025 KBO League Awards Ceremony at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 24 last year. [Newsis]

NC Dinos catcher Kim Hyung-jun, 26, has been summarily indicted on charges of skipping a mandatory military reserve drill.

The first criminal division of the Masan branch of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office filed a summary indictment against Kim on Monday, seeking a fine of 700,000 won ($510) for violating the Military Service Act, according to legal sources.

A summary indictment is a procedure used in relatively minor cases in which prosecutors ask a court to impose a financial penalty — such as a fine, minor fine or confiscation — without a full trial. The court rules based on written review alone, though it may refer the case to a formal trial if it determines the matter cannot be decided that way.

Kim is accused of failing to report for a reserve mobilization drill at the headquarters of the Army's 39th Infantry Division in Haman-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, from June 16 to June 18, despite receiving a call-up notice and without a valid reason.

During the police investigation, Kim told investigators that he had played in scheduled professional baseball games after neglecting to apply for a postponement of the drill, according to police.

Police referred Kim to prosecutors without detention on Aug. 13 on charges of violating the Military Service Act, and prosecutors decided to pursue a summary indictment after reviewing the case.

NC's regular-season games were in fact scheduled during the period Kim was called up for the drill.

On June 16 at Changwon NC Park, Kim drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly to right field with runners on second and third and no outs in the fourth inning against the Hanwha Eagles. He went 2-for-3 the following day as well. On June 18, the final day of the drill, he was reportedly left out of the starting lineup due to wrist pain.

Kim began his mandatory military service in 2021 with the Sangmu (Armed Forces Athletic Corps) baseball team and was discharged the following year.

He has since established himself as NC's starting catcher and earned multiple call-ups to the national team, representing South Korea at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship, the 2024 WBSC Premier12 and the 2026 World Baseball Classic.


betterj@heraldcorp.com