A day after Jung Ho Kang announced he was coming back to Pittsburgh, the released a statement addressing his teammates and fans.
"Most importantly, I want to apologize to my family, friends, teammates, the Pirates organization, Pirates fans and anyone else who has been negatively affected by my regretful actions. I am deeply sorry."
"I am very grateful to the U.S. government for giving me a second chance to demonstrate my pride in and appreciation for being allowed to continue my dream of playing Major League Baseball in the United States. I am also thankful for the support of Major League Baseball, the Pirates, my teammates and our fans. Their strong support has been a driving force and motivation for me during the past year."
"I am extremely appreciative of the efforts of my attorney Amy Maldonado, my consulting attorney Javad Khazaeli and my agents at Octagon. Their resilient efforts on my behalf and strong belief in me as a person has helped make this second opportunity possible. I am forever grateful."
"After a long, painful process, I am excited to have a chance to return to the game that I have missed so much. My focus is first on becoming the best person that I can be. Secondly, I look forward to getting to Pirate City and demonstrating that I am committed to doing whatever I can to get back to Pittsburgh and help the Pirates win. I will not disappoint anyone anymore."
The South Korea native, beset by visa issues related to several DUIs, hasn't played in the U.S. since the end of the 2016 season. The Pirates announced Thursday the infielder has obtained a work visa and will rejoin the team.
RELATED: Dashcam video shows Kang's alleged DUI crash in South Korea
“We are encouraged by the steps that Jung Ho has taken to date and are hopeful that having the game he loves taken away from him for more than a year has driven home the reality that he must make better life decisions as we move forward together,” Pirates president Frank Coonelly said in a statement.
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