Seoul City Councilor Files Complaint Against Lee Jae-myung Over HMM Relocation Claims

On May 19, a member of the People Power Party, Lee Jong-bae, filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate from the Democratic Party of Korea. This action stems from Lee Jae-myung's assertion during a campaign rally that he would facilitate the relocation of HMM, South Korea's largest shipping company, to Busan.

During his speech on May 14 in Busan, Lee Jae-myung claimed, "I will ensure that HMM moves to Busan. While it is a private company and not an easy task, it is not impossible with government support. The employees of HMM have agreed to this plan."

HMM, which ranks as the number one container shipping company in South Korea and eighth globally, has its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Although Busan serves as the main port for container ships, the majority of HMM's workforce, approximately 800 to 900 employees, are based at the Yeouido headquarters. As of the end of last year, there were 1,063 land-based employees handling contracts and sales, and 827 maritime employees responsible for ship operations.

However, controversy arose regarding Lee Jae-myung's vague reference to employee consent, as the HMM labor union stated that they had not solicited opinions or consent regarding any potential relocation.

At a press conference outside the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Lee Jong-bae stated, "Following Lee Jae-myung's comments, both the land and sea unions of HMM sent emails to employees stating that no discussions had taken place. Additionally, HMM management has publicly stated that they have not received any communication regarding the headquarters' move to Busan." He concluded that Lee Jae-myung's claims about relocating HMM and employee agreement are clearly false.

Lee Jong-bae emphasized, "This is a case of Lee Jae-myung publicly disseminating false information for electoral gain. Regardless of the election context, the idea of arbitrarily relocating a private company like HMM reflects a dictatorial mindset, and deceiving voters with lies is a serious electoral crime that undermines democracy."