The South Korean national baseball team will start their training camp in Tucson, Arizona this week ©Getty Images

The South Korean national baseball team will start their training camp in Tucson, Arizona this week, in preparation for the World Baseball Classic (WBC), according to Yonhap news agency.

Manager Lee Kung-Chul will be slightly shorthanded for the rest of the month, as Major League Baseball players Kim Ha-Seoung of the San Diego Padres and Tommy Edman of the St. Louis Cardinals remain in commitment to their clubs.

Former pitcher Lee, who was appointed last summer, is set to manage his first WBC tournament. 

Lee accumulated five Korean Series Championships during his professional career, along with a Most Valuable Player award in 1996.

Six teams from the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) are already in Arizona, making it a simple transition for their national team players. 

The Hanwha Eagles are the only club from those six to not have a national team member.

South Korea's best finish in the WBC was second place in 2009, having only made three appearances in the tournament ©Getty Images
South Korea's best finish in the WBC was second place in 2009, having only made three appearances in the tournament ©Getty Images

Players from the other four clubs will be reporting to camp from Australia, Japan and other cities in the Unites States.

As part of the training camp, South Korea will be having scrimmages against the Dinos on Thursday (February 16), then the Tigers on Sunday (February 19), followed by two matches against the Wiz on February 22 and 24, and the Twins on Feb 26.

Kim is set to join on March 1 when the national team returns to Seoul, while Edman will join on March 5 in Osaka before friendly games against the Orix Buffaloes and Hanshin Tigers on March 6 and 7.

The tournament is set to begin on March 9, with South Korea playing their opening match against Australia in the Tokyo Dome.