Pitcher Ko Young-pyo, center, checks the mound at Taipei Dome in Taipei during the team's official practice prior to the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12, Tuesday. Yonhap

Sidearmer Ko Young-pyo will start the crucial opening game for Korea at the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12 tournament Wednesday in Taipei.

Manager Ryu Joong-il announced Ko as his starter against Chinese Taipei after the pretournament press conference for Group B teams on Tuesday in Taipei. The first pitch of the Korea-Chinese Taipei tilt is 6:30 p.m. at Taipei Dome, or 7:30 p.m. in Korean time.

Ryu had said a week ago that he had settled on his starting rotation for the tournament but he would keep it a secret until the last minute.

"Based on our scouting reports, we think Chinese Taipei hitters may have difficulty against Ko's delivery, considering their swings," Ryu said.

Ko, 33, is the oldest member of the 28-man Korean team. He is best known for his beguiling changeup thrown from an unusual angle, which helps him keep opposing hitters off balance and induce soft contact.

Ko has spent his entire 10-year Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) career with the KT Wiz, starting in their inaugural season in 2015. He has a career record 61-58 with a 4.06 ERA.

Since 2021, Ko ranks first among all KBO pitchers with 72 quality starts — an outing in which a starter goes at least six innings and gives up three or fewer earned runs. He is third overall with 42 wins and fourth with 623 2/3 innings over the 2021-2024 period.

Pitcher Ko Young-pyo studies the mound at Taipei Dome in Taipei during the team's official practice prior to the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier12, Tuesday. Yonhap

Ko missed the early part of this season with elbow issues and struggled to a 4.95 ERA, his worst mark in six years. However, Ko had a strong 2.74 ERA over his final four starts.

He previously represented Korea at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

"I will try to give our team a chance to win the first game," Ko told reporters before the manager's announcement. "I don't feel any pressure. But I do feel a sense of responsibility as the starter of the first game. I won't worry about what the opposing team thinks of me, and I will just focus on what I do best."

After Chinese Taipei, Korea will play Cuba on Thursday, Japan on Friday, the Dominican Republic on Saturday and Australia on Monday.

Korea had three other starters in Im Chan-kyu, Gwak Been and Choi Seung-yong. Ko is lined up to start against Australia on four days' rest.

The top two countries after round-robin play will qualify for the Super Round, where they will be joined by the top two teams from Group A. (Yonhap)