▲ In this file photo from Sept. 15, 2020, Kim Bo-kyung of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (R) dribbles the ball past Won Du-jae of Ulsan Hyundai FC during a K League 1 match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
▲ This file photo provided by the Korea Professional Football League on Oct. 25, 2020, shows Daegu FC forward Cesinha during a K League 1 match against Pohang Steelers at DGB Daegu Bank Park in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

football-salary

Jeonbuk top K League's payroll for 7th consecutive year

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- The champions of South Korean professional football this year were also the league's biggest spenders.

The Korea Professional Football League (K League) released salary figures of its 11 clubs in the top-division K League 1, excluding the military club Sangju Sangmu, and 10 clubs in the K League 2 on Monday.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who have won the past four K League 1 titles, had the biggest payroll with 16.9 billion won (US$15.4 million). The K League began disclosing salary figures in 2014, and Jeonbuk have been on top every year since.

Ulsan Hyundai FC, runners-up to Jeonbuk, also ranked second to Jeonbuk in total salary with 14.6 billion won.

The five highest-paid Korean players were all from either Jeonbuk or Ulsan.

Jeonbuk midfielder Kim Bo-kyung led all homegrown players with 1.35 billion won, followed by his teammate on defense, Hong Jeong-ho, with 1.26 billion won. Three Ulsan players rounded out the top five: midfielder Lee Chung-yong (1.25 billion won), goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo (1.09 billion won) and midfielder Yoon Bitgaram (1.06 billion won).

Among foreign players, Daegu FC forward Cesinha led the way at 1.43 billion won, followed by Junior Negrao of Ulsan at 1.11 billion won.

The K League 1 clubs spent a total of 95.2 billion won on salary, up from 84.4 billion won in 2019.

In the K League 2, champions Jeju United spent the most on salary with 7.4 billion won. The league's payroll was 42.1 billion won.

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