INCHEON (Yonhap News) ― South Korean pitcher Lim Chang-yong, who recently signed with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball, said Monday he will try to land a full-time big-league job next year.

The 36-year-old right-hander left for Arizona to begin rehabbing his surgically repaired right elbow. He signed a two-year split contract last year that could be worth up to $5 million, with different salary rates for the time he spends in the majors and the minors.

“I am going to put in a lot of work to reach the majors as fast as I can,” Lim told reporters at Incheon International Airport.

“Next year will be more important than this year. My goal is to be the full-time closer for the Cubs in 2014. I will compete with my teammates to win that job.”

Lim pitched the past five seasons for the Yakult Swallows in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.

Before that, he split his 13-year Korea Baseball Organization career with two different teams.