World Cup Stadium Earned 8.2 Billion Won from IU and Lim Young-woong Concerts and Invested 250 Million Won in Lawn Maintenance

Seoul World Cup Stadium, which is embroiled in controversy over lawn damage, earned 8.2 billion won in revenue this year from soccer games and concerts, but only spent 250 million won on lawn maintenance. Criticism is being raised that the Seoul Metropolitan Government is only interested in profits and is neglecting lawn maintenance.

According to data received by Wi Seong-gon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, from the Seoul Facilities Corporation on the 25th, the corporation spent a total of 253.27 million won on World Cup Stadium grass maintenance as of the end of August this year. On the other hand, the amount earned from soccer matches, celebrity concerts, and parking fees was 8.255 billion won. The breakdown of expenditures includes 153.46 million won for new grass, 19.94 million won for artificial mats to protect the grass, and 51.4 million won for pesticides and fertilizers. Revenue was 994.26 million won from national team A-matches, 1.13832 billion won from FC Seoul matches, 2.43447 billion won from cultural events such as concerts, and 3.63846 billion won from general events. The revenue from the rental of major cultural events was 1.43899 billion won for Lim Young-woong's concert and 977.58 million won for Seventeen. This amount does not include IU's concert held on the 21st and 22nd.

Concerns about damage to the grass at World Cup Stadiums have been growing since the "Jamboree K-Pop Concert" was held in August last year. The controversy grew especially this year as a large-scale concert was held amidst record-breaking heat waves. The controversy grew further after captain Son Heung-min said, "I had difficulties with ball control and dribbling," and "I hope (the grass condition) improves when we play at home," after the team drew against Palestine in the North and Central American World Cup qualifiers on the 5th. In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it would allow cultural events to be rented out starting next year on the condition that "ground seat sales are excluded." Assemblyman Wi Seong-gon pointed out, "By announcing the exclusion of ground seat sales ahead of IU's concert, the Seoul Metropolitan Government fanned the flames of conflict by making it seem as if the singer was responsible for the grass damage from the fans' perspective," and "There were problems with the Jamboree concert being pushed forward last year, so fundamental measures must be prepared."