Former Yomiuri Giants pitcher Cho Sung Min was found dead early Sunday morning after an apparent suicide, South Korean police said. He was 39.
According to the police, Cho's girlfriend found him hanging by a belt in the bathroom of her Seoul apartment. The girlfriend told the police that after drinking with Cho in her apartment on Saturday night, she went out by herself and discovered his body on her return in the morning.
Cho's former wife, actress Choi Jin Sil, committed suicide in 2008.
Cho pitched in 53 games for the Giants from 1997 to 2002. In his first season, he recorded 11 saves in 20 games out of the bullpen. In the starting rotation the following year, Cho went 7-6 with three shutouts. He married Choi in 2000 but they divorced in 2004.
According to police sources, Cho's girlfriend received a text message from him, saying, "Thanks for everything. Even without me, please be strong."