The Korea Baseball Organisation (KBO) has announced that team manager Kim In-sik will meet with coaches Sun Dong-yol, Song Jin-woo and Lee Soon-cheol at the KBO headquarters in Seoul on Thursday (November 10) to whittle down their 50-man provisional roster to 28.

One potentially contentious selection issue is the inclusion of St. Louis Cardinals' Oh Seung-hwan, left off the provisional roster due to off-field issues.

The 34-year-old was fined by a South Korean court for illegal gambling overseas earlier this year, while the KBO also gave him a 72-game ban, which is to take effect if he rejoins the domestic league where he spent the first nine years of his career.

The fourth edition of the World Baseball Classic is scheduled to take place from March 9 until 22. 

When discussing Oh's situation last month, Kim said: "If you think strictly in baseball terms, Oh Seung-hwan is someone we absolutely need.

"But we have seen some unfortunate incidents in baseball this year and we have to think long and hard about his selection."

Some of those players who were in the provisional squad include Texas Rangers' outfielder Choo Shin-soo, Baltimore Orioles' outfielder Kim Hyun-soo, Pittsburgh Pirates' infielder Kang Jung-ho, and Minnesota Twins' designated hitter Park Byung-ho.

First baseman Lee Dae-ho, also on the 50-man roster, played for the Seattle Mariners in 2016 and is now a free agent.

Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul is due to host the first round of action next March.

South Korea have been drawn in pool B where they will face The Netherlands, Chinese Taipei and Israel.

Kim is due to travel to Tokyo later this week where he will watch Japan and The Netherlands play exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday (November 12 and 13).