After putting together a dominant career in Asia, South Korean reliever Oh Seung-hwan is now taking his talents to the United States.

The St. Louis Cardinals announced their signing of Oh to a one-year deal on Monday (local time). The deal includes a club option for 2017.

The right-hander is the all-time leader in saves in the Korea Baseball Organization with 277, all of them in nine seasons with the Samsung Lions and picked up 80 more saves with the Hanshin Tigers in the Central League of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball over the past two seasons.

The 33-year-old became a free agent after the 2015 season.

Oh becomes the third South Korean to sign a Major League Baseball deal this offseason after Park Byung-ho of the Minnesota Twins and Kim Hyun-soo of the Baltimore Orioles. Park and Kim both jumped from the KBO.

Last season, two South Koreans, Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers and Kang Jung-ho of the Pittsburgh Pirates, saw major league action, while Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin missed the entire season because of a shoulder injury.

Oh is also the fourth South Korean pitcher to go from the KBO to NPB and finally to MLB.

Along with his 277 saves, Oh had a 28-13 record in the KBO with a 1.74 ERA and 625 strikeouts in 510 1/3 innings. Oh then led the NPB's Central League in saves in each of his two seasons there. In 2014, he recorded 39 saves with a 1.76 ERA while striking out 81 in 66 2/3 innings. Then last year, he tied Tony Barnette with 41 saves, despite a leg injury that prematurely ended his season in September, along with a 2.83 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings.

Oh was summarily indicted last month on illegal overseas gambling charges with Seoul prosecutors also seeking a fine of 7 million won. Oh promptly issued an apology about his "inconsiderate actions" and said he will focus solely on baseball for the rest of his career.

Oh received a half-season suspension from the KBO for his gambling charges, though it will only come into effect if he returns to the South Korean league and didn't affect his ability to sign with a major league club as a free agent. (Yonhap)