Is the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Warning on the 'Yoon Seok-yeol Car' a Violation of 'Freedom of Expression'?

"Satirical Cartoon, but Are We Regressing to the Jeon Du-hwan Era?" Criticism Spreads
Minister Park Bo-gyun: "The Problem Lies with the Organizer Who Turned It into a Politically Contaminated Contest, Not the Work"

The 23rd National Student Cartoon Contest Cartoon Category Gold Prize Winner 'Yoon Seok-yeol Car'./Captured from online community

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Controversy is spreading over the cartoon work 'Yoon Seok-yeol Train,' which satirizes President Yoon Seok-yeol. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) issued a stern warning to the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (Manhwa Contents Agency), which awarded this work, bringing 'freedom of expression' into the spotlight.

'Yoon Seok-yeol Train' became a hot topic as it was exhibited at the Bucheon International Comics Festival held from September 30 to October 3. The work features President Yoon's face painted on the front of a train, with frightened people fleeing from it. In the train's engine room, there is a figure believed to be First Lady Kim Geon-hee, and in the rear car, prosecutors are standing holding knives.

The work was drawn by a high school student and won the gold prize in the cartoon category of the 23rd National Student Cartoon Contest. The selection of the winning work is known to have been decided by judges randomly drawn by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency, which hosted the contest.

As the work became a topic of discussion, the MCST expressed regret and issued a warning to the Manhwa Contents Agency. On the 4th, the MCST released a statement saying, "Selecting and exhibiting a work that blatantly deals with political themes is extremely contrary to the purpose of the event, which is to encourage students' desire for cartoon creation, so we express regret to the Manhwa Contents Agency and issue a stern warning."

It added, "Although the Manhwa Contents Agency is a foundation affiliated with Bucheon City, it receives government funding of 10.2 billion won, which is taxpayers' money, and the grand prize of the contest is awarded by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. We will strictly review the contest's judging criteria and selection process and promptly take related measures." The MCST later released additional materials stating that the Manhwa Contents Agency violated the approval conditions for using the sponsorship name and said it would consider canceling the approval.

Regarding the MCST's measures, criticism of 'infringement on freedom of expression' arose mainly from opposition parties. Mayor Cho Yong-ik of Bucheon wrote on Facebook, "The dictionary definition of a cartoon is a one-panel comic that mainly satirizes political content," and said, "If you ask why satire was done in a cartoon contest, what should young people answer? Satire is the basis of creation."

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Beom-gye criticized on SBS Radio's 'Kim Taehyun's Political Show,' "Is it something the government should intervene in and say 'do this, do that' and issue warnings about satire cartoons? It's just a facet of the world seen by a high school student," adding, "The MCST's warnings and threats to cut support are scenes often seen during the Yushin era and the Jeon Du-hwan era."

On the other hand, the MCST rebutted that it did not infringe on freedom of expression but that the problem was dealing with political themes in the contest. On the 5th, at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's national audit, Minister Park Bo-gyun said, "The MCST is not taking issue with individual works," and added, "We are taking issue with the Manhwa Contents Agency, which has turned a contest that built its reputation on pure artistic sensibility into a politically contaminated contest."