Advisers, an honorary chair, auditors and CEOs from member companies attended. The group reviewed last year’s projects and approved its financial statements, while discussing responses to fast-changing conditions in the golf course industry.
The association shared the outcome of an appeals court ruling in a lawsuit over an agreement fee involving law firm Cheonjiiin, in which the plaintiff’s claims were dismissed and the defendant golf course prevailed. It said the decision is expected to serve as a key precedent for the same case involving more than 90 member companies, and it plans to respond actively if the case goes to the Supreme Court.
Members also discussed tax changes aimed at easing management burdens. The association reported it is forming a consultative body on property tax and the individual consumption tax, and said it will pursue petitions and other government outreach to seek an end to higher property tax rates and the abolition of the individual consumption tax.
Labor issues were another main agenda item. The association said it analyzed the impact of the “Yellow Envelope Act,” a revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act that took effect March 10, including expanded bargaining rights for caddie unions. It said it will hold briefings for members and distribute response guidelines.
It also released a simulation estimating that adopting a “worker presumption system,” which shifts the burden of proof to employers, would add about 16.2 billion won in annual costs for an 18-hole course. It said it has set five response strategies, including policy recommendations.
The association also discussed switching its membership fee calculation from a system based on the number of visitors to a flat fee based on the number of holes, citing fairness among members and administrative efficiency.
Choi Dong-ho, the association’s chairman, said the meeting brought the association and its members together to seek proactive responses to issues that could “shake the foundation” of the golf industry, including the Yellow Envelope Act and the proposed worker presumption system. He said the association will continue to work to protect members’ interests and support the industry’s sustainable development.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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