By Kim Rahn
The operator of a public marina on the Han River was found to have sold the rights to use a luxury yacht exclusively to a handful of customers in breach of an agreement with the city government to run the facility for the public.
City officials said they have taken the necessary measures to remedy the situation.
Based on the city’s own audit result, Park Wun-gi, a Democratic Party (DP) member of Seoul Metropolitan Council, said Monday that the chief executive of the operator, Seoul Marina Club and Yacht, sold the rights to use the yacht.
“The city government should deprive Seoul Marina Club of its operating license, holding it responsible for the breach of the agreement” Park claimed.
According to the audit result, the executive, Lee Seung-jae, sold the rights to seven companies at 150 million won ($139,300) each for more than 1 billion won in total, through Seunghwa Engineering and Construction, which is run by Lee and is the largest shareholder of Seoul Marina.
Lee used the engineering firm because Seoul Marina was not allowed to sell any such exclusive rights under its own name, Park claimed.
The contract between the city and Seoul Marina, which was revised last December, reads: “The operator runs the facility for the public interest so that everybody can use it. It cannot sell exclusive rights to use boats under any circumstances and the contract will be terminated if it violates this.”
Park claimed the city should revoke the operating license for Seoul Marina and apologize to citizens. “The city was supposed to manage and supervise the marina’s operation. But it didn’t know about the illegality, damaging the public interest,” he said.