The Korea Baseball Organization has asked the U.S. Major League Baseball to release 12 South Koreans playing in the United States for next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic.

The KBO on Wednesday said the list includes pitchers Park Chan-ho of the San Diego Padres, Seo Jae-weong and Koo Dae-sung of the New York Mets, Kim Byung-hyun and Kim Sun-woo of the Colorado Rockies, Bong Jung-geung of the Cincinnati Reds, Baek Cha-seung of the Seattle Mariners, Song Seung-joon of the San Francisco Giants, Lee Seung-hak of the Philadelphia Phillies and Ryu Jae-kook of the Chicago Cubs.

Choi Hee-seop of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Choo Jin-soo of the Seattle Mariners are the only non-pitchers on the list.

The World Baseball Classic will have 16 nations compete in preliminaries and will hold the semifinals and finals in San Diego's PETCO Park.