Another Company Occupying Contracted Office Building... Criticism Over Inadequate Verification
Cheonan City: "Selected Based on Football Association Recommendation... Unable to Disclose Service Report"
There are allegations that Cheonan City in South Chungcheong Province signed a private contract for the renaming of the Korea Football Center, which is being developed in the Ipjang-myeon area, with a company suspected of being a so-called "paper company."
The city signed a naming and BI (Brand Identity) development service contract worth 52.2 million won last October with Company A, a private firm recommended by the Korea Football Association.
This company proposed four names: Park Eleven, Korea Eleven, Korea Park, and Park Field. The city is currently conducting a nationwide preference survey from April 23 to May 2.
However, citizens have criticized the names, saying, "They sound like golf courses," "These are names anyone could come up with in five minutes," and "I don't understand what connection they have to the Korea Football Center."
In order to verify the reasons behind the proposed names, Asia Economy requested disclosure of the report and visited the building in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, listed as Company A's address in the contract.
The problematic address was on the fourth floor of a commercial building. On-site, a completely different company was occupying the space, and the office door was locked.
After checking the entire building, it was found that the basement housed a karaoke bar, the first floor had a massage parlor and a restaurant, and from the second to fifth floors, there were massage parlors and bars, making it a building densely packed with entertainment establishments. There was no sign or trace of Company A anywhere in the building.
A Cheonan City official responded, "Company A is a professional firm whose CEO previously worked in the global marketing department of Company B Electronics and is personally handling the naming project," adding, "The address listed in the contract is a shared office near the CEO's home, and the company is currently operating an office in Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul."
The official further stated, "Because this project required expertise, we selected the company based on the recommendation of the Football Association," and added, "It is difficult to disclose the service report and other documents as the project is still ongoing."
However, criticism has arisen over inadequate verification of a contract worth tens of millions of won, given that the company did not exist at the official address listed in the contract.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
