South Korean presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has stirred up controversy after suggesting that the country’s flagship carrier HMM and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries be relocated from Seoul to the port city of Busan.
Former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment, following his failed attempt at imposing martial law in December 2024, has prompted snap elections for 3 June, to elect a new leader.
Lee, from the Democratic Party, is running for the presidency again, after losing the 2022 election to Yoon, who was from the ruling People Power Party.
Lee said shifting the two organisations will enhance Busan’s status as a shipping centre, but HMM employees are against uprooting their homes and families.
On 27 May, Lee wrote on his Facebook page: “HMM’s relocation to Busan is not just a regional move. As we become closer to the international shipping hub of the Port of Busan, it is a practical change that will realise field-oriented management and improve corporate competitiveness.”
HMM is controlled by the state through Korea Development Bank and Korea Ocean Business Corporation.
“HMM is a public company owned by the people. If people want, it is quite possible to relocate to Busan,” noted Lee. “We will actively communicate with stakeholders and encourage the relocation so that everyone can coexist. If the MOF is located in Busan, policy implementation will be more efficient and synergistic with the maritime industry.”
However, Lee’s proposal hit a raw nerve with HMM employees, whose unions said their opinions were not sought.
A HMM union official pointed out: “The union has never officially gathered a position on the proposed move to Busan. Some seafaring unions were in favour of it when this move was mentioned years ago, but these are personal views and not representative of the company.”
