Cheong Eungcheon, Director of the National Heritage Agency, "Will Issue an Apology Statement"
The Cultural Heritage Administration stated that First Lady Kim Geon-hee's tea gathering at Jongmyo constitutes private use of a national heritage site.
On the 20th, Lee Jae-pil, Director of the Royal Tombs and Historic Sites Headquarters at the Cultural Heritage Administration, responded during an emergency inquiry at the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee to Democratic Party lawmaker Im Oh-kyung's question, "Do you consider First Lady Kim's tea gathering at Jongmyo a state event?" by saying, "I believe there is a possibility of personal use." When Im repeatedly asked, "Is it clearly private use?" Director Lee replied, "Yes, it is private use."
Choi Eung-cheon, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, responded to Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Moon-seok's question, "Was permission granted following the procedures according to the Cultural Heritage Administration's internal regulations?" by saying, "At the time, it was naturally judged to be a national event and handled according to precedent," adding, "Upon later review, I acknowledge that the judgment was immature." He also stated, "I recall that the Presidential Office's Culture and Sports Secretary's Office consulted with the Director of the Royal Tombs and Historic Sites Headquarters," and said, "I judged that it was appropriate to grant permission assuming it was an official event."
Choi Eung-cheon, Director of the Cultural Heritage Administration. Provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration
Earlier, it was revealed belatedly that on September 3rd, First Lady Kim held a tea gathering with outsiders at Mangmyoru Pavilion in Jongmyo, Seoul. This raised suspicions that First Lady Kim used the Presidential Office to hold a private meeting at Mangmyoru, a building that is closed to the public on non-visiting days and generally not open to the public. It was also claimed that the attendees accompanying First Lady Kim were family members of a famous artist who had previously held exhibitions with Kobana Contents, and that Jongmyo management staff borrowed expensive furniture from nearby Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces for the tea gathering.
According to the Cultural Heritage Administration's internal regulation, "Regulations on Viewing Royal Palaces and Tombs," important national cultural properties such as Jongmyo can only be used with permission granted after review by the Cultural Heritage Committee's Royal Palaces and Tombs Subcommittee, following a formal application submitted in advance through official documents.
Commissioner Choi promised to issue an official apology regarding the controversy. The Presidential Office has not issued any particular statement on the matter.
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