"Players will not stand idly by." Victory bonus cap, stalled during the pandemic era, 'K-League politician' Im Min-hyuk: "Keep the promise to abolish it"

*This content was translated by AI.

A call has been made to abolish the "victory bonus cap system" for professional soccer K-League players, which was originally established during the so-called COVID-19 crisis to protect club finances.

Im Min-hyuk, a politician with a background as a former K-League player, wrote on social media (SNS) on the 21st: "The victory bonus system sets amounts based on each club's financial situation and distributes payments according to player grades determined by factors such as match participation time or inclusion in the lineup. This serves as clear motivation for players and coaching staff, as winning directly translates into rewards."

He continued: "However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korea Professional Football League and Koo Dan (CEO) set a cap of 1 million won for K-League 1 victory bonuses and 500,000 won for K-League 2, citing a sharp decline in ticket revenue. There was also a commitment to lift this cap once paid spectators returned to stadiums. Yet, even years after the pandemic ended and spectator attendance normalized, that promise remains unfulfilled. If this system was created temporarily under the special circumstances of COVID-19 from the outset, then abolishing it after conditions return to normal is common sense and natural."

Im Min-hyuk added: "Additional rewards based on clear performance can maximize productivity across an entire organization. The same applies to professional soccer. For example, even citizen clubs with limited overall labor budgets like FC Anyang or Daegu FC could operate their budgets far more efficiently if they were allowed to autonomously design the ratio between base salaries and victory bonuses. Creating a structure where players who contribute to victories receive greater compensation would provide strong motivation across the entire squad and lead to improved team performance."

He further argued: "Blocking the most effective tool for enhancing club competitiveness by increasing flexibility in labor budget management with a blanket cap is equivalent to the league deliberately weakening K-League competitiveness. Clubs should also seriously consider how to structure their labor budgets beyond these caps to maximize team performance."

Im Min-hyuk emphasized: "Above all, keeping promises is crucial. It has already been years since spectator limits were lifted. The temporary victory bonus cap should now disappear into history as well. We must respect the autonomous agreements between players and clubs and recognize fair compensation for achievements. Professional sports exist so that players can play more, compete more fiercely, and win more."

He then warned: "The league should abolish the victory bonus cap system to promote K-League development. While ignoring players' long-standing demands may have been acceptable until now, players will no longer stand idly by."

In a statement released via SNS, Im Min-hyuk told StarNews on the same day: "This is an opinion written from the perspective of a former professional soccer player regarding the issue that the K-League victory bonus cap, introduced temporarily during COVID-19, continues to be maintained even after spectator attendance normalized."

He continued: "At the time, the Korea Professional Football League and clubs introduced the victory bonus cap citing special circumstances and also stated their intention to lift it once paid spectator attendance returned. However, even years after the pandemic ended, this system remains in place."

Im Min-hyuk explained: "The victory bonus is not simply about giving players more money. It is a means for clubs to autonomously design their base salary and performance reward structures according to their financial situations and player management directions, thereby enhancing team competitiveness through rewards for victories."

He further stated: "I believe there is now no reason to keep temporary regulations that restrict autonomous agreements between clubs and players. Above all, the promise made during the COVID-19 pandemic must be honored. It is time for the league to consider abolishing the victory bonus cap to advance K-League development and respond to players' long-standing demands."

Meanwhile, Im Min-hyuk began his professional career after joining Jeonnam Dragons in 2017, having come through Pohang Steelers Youth and played for Korea University's soccer team. He later played for Daejeon Citizen (now Daejeon Hana Citizen), Jeonnam, and Cheonan City FC before retiring in 2024. In 2015, he was selected for and played on the South Korea U-23 national team. After retirement, he joined the Democratic Party of Korea in April last year, embarking on a political career.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.