The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport emphasized that the appointment of a non-executive director at the Saemangeum Development Corporation was conducted in accordance with legal procedures. The ministry also clarified that reports claiming the director receives an annual salary of 30 million won along with separate meeting allowances are inaccurate.
According to media reports on September 16, the individual appointed as a non-executive director on July 28 is the father of a current senior secretary at the presidential office. He previously served as the director in charge of the Saemangeum project in North Jeolla Province from April 2006 to July 2007.
Concerns about his suitability for the role arose after a decade-long gap since his retirement. Following his appointment, he expressed his intention to resign. In response, the ministry stated, "The candidate was appointed based on recommendations from the executive recommendation committee, considering his senior-level experience related to the Saemangeum project and expertise in the field."
In fact, the Saemangeum Development Corporation publicly advertised the qualifications for three non-executive director positions on July 16, which included not only knowledge and experience in organizational management but also an understanding of the Saemangeum project and the ability to propose policies related to the operation of the agency and non-executive director duties.
The ministry also addressed the controversy surrounding the compensation for non-executive directors. Some reports suggested that non-executive directors receive a salary of 30 million won along with additional meeting attendance fees. However, the ministry clarified that this is not true. A ministry official stated, "Non-executive directors receive a monthly duty allowance of 2 million won and can earn up to 30 million won annually, including a meeting attendance fee of 500,000 won per meeting. No additional fees for meeting attendance or transportation will be paid beyond this amount."
Meanwhile, the appointee has indicated his intention to step down from the non-executive director position at the Saemangeum Development Corporation, just three weeks after his appointment on July 28.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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