Ha Joo-seok (29, Hanwha), who was suspended for 70 games for drunk driving, had his annual salary cut in half. He maintained an annual salary of 100 million won, but the actual amount he received was less than that.
On the 26th, Hanwha released the results of contracts with 49 players who were subject to salary negotiations among registered players, excluding players with FA contracts. Among the top 20 non-FA salary players, the player who was cut the most was Ha Joo-seok.
The annual salary was cut by 100 million won from 209 million won last year to 100 million won this year. Salary reduction rate 50.2%. The biggest drop in the team. Last year, he was the highest paid player on the team among non-FA players, but was cut in half within a year.
Compared to NC players who were suspended from KBO business trips in the summer of 2021 for violating the Corona 19 quarantine rules, the salary cut is large. Excluding Park Seok-min, who was a free agency contractor, Park Min-woo (630 먹튀검증 million won → 410 million won), Lee Myeong-gi (270 million won → 175 million won), and Kwon Hee-dong (170 million won → 110 million won) each took 35% each. Salaries have been cut across the board.
Ha Joo-seok’s actual annual salary is less than 100 million won. According to Article 32 [Suspended Players] of the KBO Baseball Rules, the club pays a reduced annual salary to players announced as suspended players. In this case, the amount of remuneration to be reduced shall be the amount obtained by multiplying 50% of 1/300 of the player’s annual salary by the number of game days not participating. You can only receive half of your daily wage during the suspension period.
Ha Joo-seok was caught drunk driving in Daejeon last November during the finish camp and was suspended for 70 games by the KBO. Discipline will be applied from the beginning of this year. During this period, Ha Joo-seok’s annual salary will be reduced by about 11.66 million won. Accordingly, the actual annual salary Ha Ju-seok will receive this year will be about 88.33 million won.
Ha Joo-seok’s financial loss due to drunk driving does not end here. Even after returning from a 70-game suspension, he can only play half of the entire schedule this season. Unless you play a big role, there is a high possibility that the reduction factor is greater than the salary increase due to the lack of business trips.
It is unknown whether he will return to the first team immediately after serving a 70-game suspension. It is necessary to recover the real sense of the game, and the team situation and public opinion must be carefully observed. The longer the return to the first team is delayed, the fewer the opportunities to fill FA registration days. In the worst case, the possibility that FA acquisition will be delayed for another year cannot be ruled out. Ha Joo-seok can acquire free agency after the 2024 season.
Ha Joo-seok, who joined Hanwha as the first overall player after receiving a down payment of 300 million won in 2012, has steadily increased his salary after growing into a starter. He recorded an annual salary of 100 million won (120 million won) for the first time in 2018, and exceeded 200 million won in 2022. However, as his poor grades last year and drunk driving overlapped, the salary he had accumulated so far fell in an instant. For the time being, he was punished severely as he was unable to play baseball.