[2022 National Audit] "Frequent Mobilization of Cultural Heritage Administration Employees for Blue House Events"

One in Four Mobilized for Over Three Days... No Business Trip Report
"Despite Full Staff Mobilization, Blue House Affairs Likely to Be Taken by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism"

On the 26th, when the interior of the Blue House main building was opened to the public, citizens who visited the Blue House in Jongno-gu, Seoul, lined up to tour the main building. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

One out of four employees at the Cultural Heritage Administration was mobilized for more than three days for the Blue House opening event.

According to the 'Support Personnel Status for the Blue House Opening' disclosed on the 11th by Kim Yoon-duk (Democratic Party), a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, 285 employees of the Cultural Heritage Administration were mobilized for an average of 3.1 days for the Blue House opening event from May 10 to June 7.

At the Cultural Heritage Administration's audit on the same day, Representative Kim stated, "In May, a total mobilization order for employees was issued twice through urgent memo reports," adding, "Specific personnel were assigned by department, and instructions were given regarding working hours, work locations, and duty status." The memo report specified that it was "a matter reported to the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and each Director."

The Cultural Heritage Administration paid 60,388,950 KRW in travel expenses and 11,771,816 KRW in overtime allowances to employees supporting the Blue House opening. However, not a single employee submitted a travel report as required by duty regulations.

On the 23rd, citizens visiting Cheong Wa Dae in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are touring the interior of the Yeongbingwan. The Cultural Heritage Administration began additionally opening the Yeongbingwan and Chunchoogwan interiors among the facilities within the premises starting from this day, marking two weeks since the opening of Cheong Wa Dae. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Despite the total mobilization, the Blue House opening affairs may be taken over by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Representative Kim claimed, "Internal documents from the Cultural Heritage Administration revealed that during the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's presidential briefing in July, President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed to draft a new delegation letter between the Presidential Office and the Ministry to ensure smooth operation of the Blue House opening."

According to this, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Cultural Heritage Administration discussed related issues at a policy working-level meeting in July. After conducting the handover of affairs by the second week of August, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism was to take over the operation and promotion of the opening from August 22. Currently, the transfer to the Ministry is postponed until the end of the year.

Representative Kim urged, "Due to inter-ministerial conflicts, both the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Cultural Heritage Administration are facing significant disruptions in their respective core duties," and called for "a prompt resolution starting with the issue of the Blue House operation management rights."