Lee Seung-Yeop Salary at Least 400 Million Won

"Let`s see after two more years."

`National hitter` Lee Seung-Yeop (25, Samsung) finally decided to stay in the domestic professional baseball league for the next two years. Instead, the Samsung guaranteed the highest salary in the domestic league to Lee Seung-Yeop.

Lee Seung-Yeop made such a decision yesterday in the individual meeting with Shin Pil-Ryul, president of the Samsung Lions. The reason why Lee mentioned `after two more years ` is that he will qualify as a free agent (FA) in 2003 so that he will be able to advance to the foreign stage without any obstruction.

With a haggard look, Lee explained about the change of his decision that he satisfied the 7-year requirement to earn the qualification for advancing to the foreign stage, but he could not move to the foreign team without the agreement of the organization. "First of all, I thought that the organization did not have any just cause to agree on my trade because of the failure in the Korean Series. It was hard to maintain only my position because I fully understand the situation of the organization."

Lee said, "I will play enthusiastically even in the domestic league. I requested the organization to set the atmosphere in which I will concentrate only on the baseball. Actually I have been so distracted by a lot of events besides baseball. I am a baseball player, not an entertainer. A baseball player must prove himself on the ground."

Since Lee decided to stay in the domestic league, much attention will be given to see who would earn the highest salary. This year`s most expensive player was Kia`s Lee Jong-Bum who received 350 million won. And since then, LG`s Yang Joon-Hyuk had called for a 4-year contract of 2 billion won down-payment and 400 million won annual salary. Therefore, Lee`s salary is expected to be more than 400 million won.

With regard to Lee`s salary, President Shin said, "Since Lee left his salary matter entirely up to the organization, and the organization plans to guarantee the highest salary in order to repay his trust. And I promised to help Lee advance to the foreign league when he becomes a free agent in two years."

The Samsung organization declined to comment on multi-year contract, but it is likely to guarantee a 2-year contract, because Lee decided to play in the Samsung up to 2003, irrespective of next year`s team record. After the meeting, President Shin gave Lee the regular-season MVP bonus of 10 million won.

Sang-Soo Kim ssoo@donga.com