The mother of Korean slugger Lee Seung-yeop died at 1:30 a.m. Saturday after suffering from a brain tumor for five years.

Lee was able to be present when his mother passed away, since he had returned home in November and stayed in Daegu since for training.

The late Kim Mi-ja underwent surgery three times after being diagnosed with a brain tumor in January 2002, when the newlywed Lee Seung-yeop and his wife were on their honeymoon.

Lee holds the Asian single-season home run record with 56, set in 2003 while playing for Korea’s Samsung Lions, and dominated the Japanese league with the Yomiuri Giants last year.