South Korea's Presidential office blacklisted 9,473 artists for political reasons
Presidential office blacklisted 9,473 artists for political reasons
Cheong Wa Dae blacklisted 9,473 artists who have expressed opposition to government policies or supported opposition politicians, and ordered related state agencies to disadvantage them in providing financial or other support, a local daily reported, Tuesday.
The report backs rumors about such a list, which have been prevalent in the art community here, as there have been cases of some artists or well-made art pieces being excluded from government support or competitions without clear reasons.
"Last May, I heard from officials at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism that the so-called blacklist came from Cheong Wa Dae, and they have no choice but to follow the direction," the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, quoted a source as saying.
The blacklist, which the source handed over to the newspaper, includes 594 artists who opposed a government enforcement ordinance about the Sewol ferry disaster, 754 authors who signed their names on a statement calling for the government to take responsibility for the disaster, 6,517 artists who declared their support for then opposition candidate Moon Jae-in during the 2012 presidential election and 1,608 artists who supported Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during the 2014 mayoral election. Both Moon and Park are leading presidential candidates.
Famous movie directors Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon as well as actress Kim Hye-soo and literary critic Hwang Hyun-san are on the list.
Poet-turned-lawmaker Do Jong-hwan of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) also raised the issue during the Assembly audit, Monday, citing meeting minutes of the Arts Council Korea (ACK), an organization under the culture ministry dedicated to supporting artists.
In the minutes on May 29, 2015, then-ACK head Kwon Young-bin said, "It's hard to say… but we can't make decisions on our own."
Renowned theater director Park Geun-hyung had to give up a subsidy from ACK due to unclear pressure last year for his drama titled "All Soldiers are Pitiful," even though the ACK previously selected the drama, according to Do. In his previous play titled "Frog" in 2013, he criticized Park Chung Hee, President Park Geun-hye's father.
It is also suspected the government made another blacklist for teachers. On Monday, Do said two elementary school teachers, who signed up to oppose the government-authored history textbooks, were suddenly eliminated from overseas training opportunities.
The Ministry of Education canceled the participants citing an internal rule which reads, "people who raise social problems due to political activities or media reports may be eliminated from receiving government awards."
Source
Seoul Mayor Park Won Soon's official response
I can’t take it anymore.
Shouldn’t the current government and president be impeached for committing these uncivilized, illegal acts and abusing their power? If anything of this magnitude had happened in the West, wouldn’t it be reason enough for any president or cabinet to resign?
Approximately 1,600 people who stated their support for me in the 2014 regional elections are included on this list as principal targets. (But I’m not speaking against this) Just because the list includes cultural artists who have supported me. Think back to Nixon’s Watergate. I have never heard of people being put on a blacklist for supporting a certain candidate for office, and suffering disadvantages as a result of it in a normal, working democracy.
This is a gross abuse of power and the height of privatization. I urge the National Assembly to immediately create a special investigative committee that will take appropriate action once the investigation is completed, whether that be an impeachment or a call for resignation. And hoping they have not forgotten the wishes of the people, I urge the opposition party to fulfill their duties as the opposition party. I am very disappointed in how the opposition party, which now holds a majority (in the national assembly), has acted in response to the countless corruption and abuse of power cases that have come forth. Take this opportunity to question the ‘Park Won Soon Suppression Document’. How can an intelligence agency even dare to think about suppress a mayor who was voted into office by over 10 million people? There is a limit to the people’s patience. The country is falling off a cliff, so how do you expect them to just accept what is going on?
I worry that the people will soon turn their backs on not only the government and the ruling party, but the opposition party as well.
Source (Translated by OP)
Politician Moon Jae In's official response
It has been revealed that a blacklist exists in the culture and arts industry to censor political thought.
This is an embarrassing and foolish act. Culture and art sometimes help us realize things we would have never thought of otherwise, and at other times remind us of what we have forgotten. It also makes our daily lives shine and feel precious. In order for this to work, culture and art must be guaranteed the highest level of ‘freedom of expression, political freedom’ that society can allow. That is how we show our respect to the arts, and what helps define the cultural and artistic maturity of a country.
Do not touch culture and art, and those who create it. One of the missions art is entrusted with is satirize power and make criticisms. A blacklist against cultural artists is a reflection of the current government’s ignorance towards the arts.
It is not too late to reveal the truth and reprimand those who are responsible for this. Most of all, an apology needs to be made to the cultural artists.
Source (Translated by OP)
OP Note: lmao if I was famous, I would be on that list because I am guilty of all 4 categories (come at me, bruh). Disappointed, but not surprised by yet another attempt by this government to silence criticism/free political thought. Next year's presidential elections can't come soon enough tbh.