Sanctions Inevitable for Korea Manhwa Contents Agency Displaying and Selecting 'Yoon Seok-yeol Car' (Comprehensive)

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "Confirmed Violations of Approval Conditions, Strict Implementation of Related Measures"
Jo Yong-ik, Mayor of Bucheon: "Cultural Control Is Not the Language of Democracy"

The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency, which exhibited a cartoon satirizing President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Bucheon International Comics Festival, is facing sanctions.

On the 4th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) announced that the Manhwa Contents Agency violated MCST approval requirements while conducting the National Student Cartoon Contest. The contest plan submitted by the agency when requesting approval to use the sponsorship title specified four disqualifying conditions: ▲unclear authorship or suspicion of plagiarism, copying, or copyright infringement ▲works with political intent or that defame others ▲works that do not meet submission guidelines (format and length) ▲works with excessive selection or violence.

The controversial work is "Yoon Suk-yeol Train," drawn by a high school student. President Yoon’s face is depicted on the front of the train. In the cockpit, a woman presumed to be First Lady Kim Keon-hee is waving her hand. Behind her, men dressed as prosecutors holding knives are lined up in the passenger cars. Citizens in front of the train are shown fleeing with surprised expressions.

"Yoon Suk-yeol Train" won the gold prize in the cartoon category at the National Student Cartoon Contest held in July and August. It was also exhibited at the 25th Bucheon International Comics Festival from September 30 to October 3.

The MCST stated, "The disqualifying conditions were omitted from the contest guidelines and were not notified to the judges," adding, "There was also insufficient in-depth review on whether the work was an unpublished original creation." They further said, "We judge that the Manhwa Contents Agency decisively violated the approved conditions in conducting the contest."

The Manhwa Contents Agency is a foundation affiliated with Bucheon City and receives partial funding from the MCST’s 10.2 billion KRW budget for comics-related projects this year. The MCST Minister’s Award is also given as the grand prize in the contest. It appears difficult for the agency to continue enjoying such benefits in the future.

Article 9 of the MCST regulations on approval for using sponsorship titles states, "If the sponsorship title is used in violation of approved conditions during the event or causes social controversy, or if application documents are prepared or submitted by fraudulent means, the competent department may cancel the approval and refuse to approve the use of the sponsorship title for three years thereafter."

An MCST official said, "Selecting and exhibiting a work that explicitly deals with political themes in a national student cartoon contest aimed at middle and high school students is extremely contrary to the event’s purpose of encouraging students’ cartoon creativity." They added, "There are sufficient grounds for cancellation of approval," and "We will promptly and strictly implement related measures and hold responsible parties accountable according to regulations."

In response to MCST’s strong stance, Bucheon Mayor Jo Yong-ik expressed a position emphasizing the need to guarantee creative freedom. On the same day, he wrote on social media, "We must not interfere with young people’s free creative activities using the standards of the older generation," and "My heart aches thinking of students who may be hurt and struggling somewhere."

He also questioned, "If you ask why satire was used in the cartoon contest, what should the youth answer?" A cartoon is a form of painting that exaggerates or omits the shape of objects or the nature of events to serve as a source of humor or satire. Mayor Jo wrote, "Control over culture is not the language of democracy," and "Today, I am reminded of President Kim Dae-jung’s philosophy on culture, which he always emphasized: ‘Support but do not interfere.’"

President Yoon said at a dinner with filmmakers in June, "Our government’s cultural and artistic policy principle is ‘support but do not interfere.’" Park Bo-gyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, also stated in his inaugural speech in May, "The more familiar one is with the world of culture and arts, the more I believe the pledge of ‘support but do not interfere’ is properly practiced."