The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on the 8th began in earnest to draw up measures to support HMM's transfer to Busan.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries was said to be holding a meeting that day with HMM to discuss support measures for the transfer to Busan. The meeting was expected to include the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), HMM, and the Busan city government, among others.
HMM's transfer to Busan is a campaign pledge by President Lee Jae-myung. The government, including the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), has been pushing it as a state agenda item.
However, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) had not presented concrete measures, considering that HMM is a private corporations. The Busan city government is positive about HMM's transfer, but its position is that government-level support measures should come first.
An official at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said of the support plan, "Nothing has been finalized yet," but added, "We will discuss it with related agencies, including local governments, to draw up measures."
Meanwhile, internal noise has been leaking out over the process of pushing HMM's transfer to Busan. The HMM Land Labor Union on the 7th filed a complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) accusing CEO Choi Won-hyuk of unfair labor practices in connection with management's push for a transfer to Busan. The union also said it would mobilize every means, including a general strike, to block the move if management forces a headquarters transfer.
Earlier, HMM held a board meeting and approved an agenda item to change its registered head office location from Seoul to Busan. An extraordinary shareholders meeting on May 8 is set to finalize the agenda.