hankyoreh

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s disregard for the law regarding Arts Council Korea (ARKO) Chairman Kim Jung-heun is crossing a line. The situation has reached the point where we believe a resolution for the situation will be impossible unless Minister of Culture Yu In-chon, who pushed Kim’s illegal dismissal, steps down.

Two days ago, ARKO commissioners made the decision to restore Chairman Kim’s privledges, but did not restore his duties and authority. This decision, of which commissioners of ARKO are not qualified to deliberate on restoring a chairman’s authority, has been misguided from the beginning. In accordance with the court decision to suspend his dismissal, his legal position as ARKO chairman has already been restored. The authority to call ARKO commissioners’ meetings and chair them also rests with Kim in accordance with the Culture and Arts Promotion Law. The fact that council commissioners met without Kim to discuss whether he does or does not hold authority was in and of itself wrong. It is as if they are saying they are a superior organization to the court.

Behind this behavior is the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST). Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Shin Jae-min said Feb. 4 that some interpreted the court’s decision to mean that while Kim’s position had been restored, it did not recognize his authority, leading ARKO commissioners to hold a discussion over the matter. In a statement following their meeting, the council commissioners claimed that they recognize Kim’s legal position, but they could not restore his authority. They say they plan to provide his salary, company car and a personal driver.

This reflected Shin’s request. It appears MCST researched some precedents in which laborers had received court decisions overturning their dismissal, but their original duties were not restored even though they received a salary. These were examples not established by a court decision, but rather resulting from deviant behavior on the part of some corrupt business owners in disregard of the intention of the court decisions. It is also unsightly to see the council commissioners, ARKO’s supreme leaders, moving this way in accordance with instructions from the vice minister. This does not accord with the goal of the systemic reorganization of the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation into a council in order to boost the independence of work to support arts and culture.

We are bewildered how, despite repeated court decisions confirming MCST’s illegalities, MCST is instead once again considering more illegalities and expediencies rather than taking measures to correct them. Can the ministry simply ignore the law in this manner? Minister Yu must take responsibility for the situation and resign immediately. At the same time, Kim must be allowed to perform his duties until his term ends in September. As for what current ARKO Chairman Oh Kwang-su will do in the meantime, he needs to make a decision, the wisest of which might be taking time off until September and reassuming his position then.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]