Jeonbuk still has highest payroll in the K League

The K League released salary data of the 11 clubs in the first-division K League 1, excluding the military club Sangju Sangmu on Friday.

The data showed that K League 1 players made 198 million won ($176,200) on average for the 2018 season. Last season, the K League 1 players’ average salary was 196.5 million won.

For Korean players, the average annual salary in 2018 came to 138.8 million won, while the figure for foreign players was 386.9 million won.

Jeonbuk, which claimed their fourth title in the last five seasons, had the biggest payroll with 17.7 billion won.

Jeonbuk, owned by Korea’s top automaker Hyundai Motor, also had the highest average salary per player at 521.9 million won, followed by Ulsan Hyundai FC, owned by Hyundai Heavy Industries, with 267.4 million won.

Jeonbuk boasted the five highest-paid Korean players: forward Kim Shin-wook (1.6 billion won), defender Kim Jin-soo (1.23 billion won), midfielder Shin Hyung-min (1.07 billion won), forward Lee Dong-gook (1.02 billion won) and defender Hong Jeong-ho (963.8 million won).

Among foreign players, Jeonbuk’s Brazilian forward Ricardo Lopes led the way with 1.28 billion won, followed by two Brazilian compatriots, Tiago Alves (1.24 billion won) and Carlos Adriano (1.22 billion won). Suwon Samsung Bluewings’ Montenegrin striker Dejan Damjanovic was fourth with 944 million won, while Ulsan’s Brazilian striker Junior Negrao was fifth with 865 million won.

Yonhap