"Wasn't the Ambassador Unpaid?"... NewJeans Received Over 100 Million Won, Highest Amount Paid

59 Ambassadors Appointed Over 5 Years Since 2020
29 Unpaid, But 23 Received Travel Expenses
NewJeans, Appointed Last Year, Received the Highest Amount

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's payment of 240 million KRW as compensation to the group NewJeans, who serve as promotional ambassadors, has come to light. Unlike the usual honorary positions of local government promotional ambassadors, which are typically unpaid, Seoul provides compensation to some ambassadors, sparking controversy over fairness. On the 6th, Kim Hye-young, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council from the People Power Party, revealed this in the 'Compensation Payment Data for Promotional Ambassadors over the Past 5 Years (2020~September 2024)' requested from the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

The group NewJeans is posing at the 'SEOUL FASHION WEEK 2025 S/S' YOUSER collection held on September 3rd at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

NewJeans was appointed as promotional ambassadors for Seoul in February last year and participated in Seoul Fashion Week for two consecutive years, among other Seoul city events. According to Article 6 of the 'Ordinance on the Operation of Seoul City Promotional Ambassadors,' promotional ambassadors are designated as unpaid honorary positions. However, over the past five years, a total of 4.5 billion KRW in compensation was paid to 52 individuals appointed as Seoul promotional ambassadors. Among them, 23 ambassadors received compensation more than once. Of these, NewJeans received 240 million KRW. This amount exceeds half of the total compensation paid to all ambassadors and, when calculated per member, amounts to about 50 million KRW, the highest individual amount. Additionally, designer A received 40 million KRW, and broadcaster-turned-personality B received 20.5 million KRW.

Assemblywoman Kim stated, "While the basic principle of operating promotional ambassadors is voluntary talent donation, it is acknowledged that, according to the ordinance, various necessary expenses such as travel costs for promotional activities can be covered," but she criticized, "The amount NewJeans received is not just travel expenses but should be considered actual compensation for promotional activities." She added, "Many ambassadors have diligently engaged in Seoul's promotional activities without any compensation as a form of talent donation. Since fairness issues regarding treatment among ambassadors may arise in the future, please establish more detailed standards to ensure that citizens' taxes are not wasted."

Ma Chae-sook, Director of Public Relations Planning at Seoul City, said, "For ambassadors who received high compensation, the payments were made according to the levels they receive in the private sector," and added, "If there are shortcomings, we will establish and report improvement plans related to the operation of promotional ambassadors." Currently, Seoul's promotional ambassadors total 34 people, including soprano Jo Sumi, actor Choi Bul-am, and singers Sean and Lee Young-ji.