Lee Geun-ho, president of the Korea Professional Football Players Association, raised the issue of raising the minimum annual salary for new players as the first task of the new year.
Chairman Lee Geun-ho said, “Last year, I was busy visiting the clubs, holding seminars on the development of players’ human rights, conducting the June Patriots and Patriots Month campaign, one-day classes, charity games, and regular general meetings, so a year passed quickly like water. In 2023, the Athletes’ Association wants to run without rest as there is a lot of work to do. Among them, the most important issue is the increase in the minimum annual salary for new players,” he said.
The issue of the minimum annual salary for new players has been a very important issue for the Athletes Association.
Yeom Ki-hoon, vice chairman, said, “I received a lot of grievances about the issue of the minimum annual salary for a rookie professional soccer player. I found out that in 2016, when free contracts were first introduced, the minimum hourly wage was 6,030 won. At this time, the minimum annual salary for new players has been continued. As of 2023, the minimum hourly wage has risen by about 65% to 9,620 won, but the players’ annual salaries are at a standstill.”
Currently, based on 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week as of 2023, approximately 2 million won per month including weekly holiday pay. He receives an annual salary of 24,126,960 won. Currently, rookie players receive the same wages as the minimum wage set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
As the working type is not 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, in reality, soccer players are continuing their careers with an annual salary lower than the minimum.
This amount is less than the minimum hourly wage, and the Athletes Association intends to seriously review the issue of the minimum annual salary, which does not match current prices. Yeom Ki-hoon, vice president, said, “It is truly regrettable that athletes taking their first steps in social life receive money that does not even make a living. I think it is quite insufficient for a professional athlete who has to focus only on sports to live with a minimum annual salary of 24 million won due to rapid inflation.”
Kim Hoon-gi, secretary-general of the Athletes Association, said, “In the case of professional baseball, which was reported in the article that the polarization of salaries is severe, the minimum annual salary is 30 million won, in the case of professional basketball, 35 million won, and in professional volleyball, 40 million won, which is different from professional soccer. 카지노 I think the time has come when we need a fundamental solution to improve the treatment of low-wage players, even in order not to cause a decline in the quality of the league.”
In addition, President Kim said, “Therefore, the Athletes’ Association plans to hold a meeting with the federation secretariat and the top priority to improve the treatment of low-wage players. Recently, even in a small and medium-sized business run by a singer, it has become a big issue by raising job postings for 24 to 26 million won. The reality is that there is a lot of talk about the fundamental minimum wage after being saturated in the media.”
In addition, President Kim said, “The Athletes Association Secretariat believes that it is very important that the minimum annual salary that does not match the current price level will inevitably create an environment in which players cannot concentrate on sports and morale decreases. Accordingly, the Athletes’ Association plans to hold the first meeting in 2023 by gathering the opinions of the players and gathering related data.”
The current position of the Athletes Association is that a minimum wage increase is absolutely necessary to protect the rights of players. We are collecting opinions to make a good conclusion by gathering the opinions of all players.
Meanwhile, the Athletes’ Association plans to hold its first meeting in 2023 by gathering the opinions of players and gathering related data.