Chong had his career-best season in , when Cabrera left via free agency to the Lotte Giants and Chong became the full-time closer for the Wyverns. Chong posted career-highs in saves (27) and strikeouts (65) with a 0.92 ERA, and allowed only 50 hits and 3 home runs in 78.1 innings pitched. He became the first pitcher to have a sub-1.00 ERA in 70+ innings pitched since 1995, when South Korean pitching legend Sun Dong-Yeol posted a 0.49 ERA in 109.1 innings pitched.