By Yoo J-eeho

SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- Choi Jeong of the SSG Landers, the all-time home run king in South Korean baseball, will undergo season-ending hip surgery next month, his club announced Friday.

Choi, 39, has not played since July 16, when he belted his 20th home run of this Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season. It made him the first player to hit 20 or more home runs in 11 consecutive seasons. He is also the career home run leader with 538.

He had been playing with lingering hip pains since early June, and the Landers said Choi was recently diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement, with abnormally shaped hip bones rubbing against each other and damaging the joint. Doctors recommended surgery with Choi's condition not having improved following weeks of therapy and treatments.

The Landers said Choi will undergo surgery on Aug. 11 in the U.S. state of Colorado and then go through a two-week rehab program there before returning home.

He is expected to be able to resume baseball activities in about six months.

Choi still had a highly productive season despite his health issues. In 71 games, he batted .306/.397/.616 with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs.

Had he maintained those numbers for a full season, Choi would have finished with his highest batting average and highest on-base plus slugging since 2017.

jeeho@yna.co.kr

(END)

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