“Come Back, Ha, Eun-Joo”

Breaking News=A countermeasure in the state of all-basketball-people to hold the `hope of the Korean Women`s Basketball,` Ha, Eun-Joo (20. Sizoka College, Japan), who shocks us by trying to be naturalized as a Japanese citizen, is being promoted.

The Korean Basketball Association (Hong, Sung-Bum, President), under the judgment that `to lose the best center Ha, Eun-Joo produced in Korea is same as to give up the future of the Korean women`s basketball,`decided to put this issue as a special agenda at the board meeting on the 4th of next month. To bring back Ha, Eun-Joo and make her playing in Korea are the purpose.

The Association also figured that in relation to the naturalization scandal, it is mandatory to find out the real intention of Ha, Eun-Joo herself and her parents, so it decided to meet her father Ha, Dong-Ki (45) as soon as possible and persuade him.

The association, at the same time, in case that the naturalization attempt is confirmed, is examining a way to send a cooperation letter to the Japanese Basketball Association and official request a reconsideration.

The Women`s Korean Basketball League (WKBL), which was trying to cultivate the `Renaissance of the Korean women`s basketball`putting Ha, Eun-Joo up front, also has fire in its toe.

The WKBL, which has been meeting with Mr. Ha and urging the come back of his daughter for the last one year, is planning to dispatch an Association official to Japan early next month and persuade Ha, Eun-Joo directly since the recent situation is getting tense.

The Association already proposed to Mr. Ha that if Ha, Eun-Joo came back; it not only guaranteed to give her the best remuneration in history but also to use her as the center of the national team.

The Executive Director of the WKBL, Cho, Seung-Hyun said, “It is shocking that despite of all our attempts, Ha, Eun-Joo is not changing her mind,” and “but, with all the possible means, we will find the way to bring her back to Korea.”

Sang-Ho Kim hyangsan@donga.com