By Bryan Manabat
bryan@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
SOUTH Korea’s national baseball team will train on Saipan, which will also host a swimming event with 150 participants from China, Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Jamika Taijeron told MVA board members last week.
Taijeron said MVA management has been in discussions with the Korea Baseball Organization. “They want to come to the islands and do their training here, but we didn’t have a pitcher’s bullpen. The Department of Corrections’ community outreach program is helping to construct this for us. They already broke ground, and the project is proceeding and expected to be completed by late October or early November,” she said.
MVA Marketing Manager Thomas Kim added, “The Korean national baseball team is coming in January. They are staying here for two weeks to train for their national baseball matches.”
When asked whether the national team’s visit could be used as part of a package tour to entice Korean fans to come, Kim noted that the team has requested privacy to focus on training.
Taijeron also said that Saipan will be hosting one of the first leisure swimming events for a group from China, with 150 people expected on Nov. 30.
“Then they’re going to bring three other groups following that in the coming weeks. And so our MVA team is helping to organize that,” she added.
One of the swimming event organizers, Betty Bai, told Variety the event is called “Saipan Fun Swimming,” and participants are coming mostly from mainland China.
Other upcoming MVA events include:
• Bisita Luta – Oct. 9 to 11
• Katori Festival – Oct. 25, 5 p.m., at the NMI Museum grounds (organized by the Japanese Society of the NMI)
• Hell of the Marianas – Dec. 6 (organized with help from the Lions Club)
• Sugar Cane Railroad Ultra Marathon – Jan. 17
• Rota Marathon – Proposed date Jan. 31
• Tinian Pika Fest – February 2026 (details to follow)
• Saipan Marathon – March 7
