Yoon Inchon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is responding to lawmakers' questions at the plenary meeting of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held last month at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
Film industry professionals have called for an immediate halt to the open recruitment process for the new director of the Korean Film Archive, an organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Korean Film Archive announced the open recruitment for its new director on April 14. Currently, former director Kim Hongjun continues to serve in the role, even though his official three-year term ended in February.
The Coalition of Filmmakers for Overcoming the Film Industry Crisis (hereafter referred to as the Filmmakers’ Coalition), which consists of 18 film organizations including the Korean Cinematographers Guild (CGK), the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK), and the Screenwriters Guild of Korea (SGK), issued a statement on April 17. In the statement, they urged, “Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoon Inchon and the Ministry must immediately suspend the appointment process for the director of the Korean Film Archive.”
The Filmmakers’ Coalition stated, “Minister Yoon Inchon, after the 12·3 Martial Law, appeared as government spokesperson on December 10 and, in his message to the public, offered not a single word of apology for the illegal martial law, instead criticizing the National Assembly’s impeachment proceedings and effectively admitting alignment with the forces behind the rebellion.” They continued, “Given that, during the martial law, the Korea National University of Arts was forced to close under the Ministry’s orders, it is imperative to thoroughly investigate Minister Yoon’s involvement in the rebellion.”
The presidential election is scheduled for June 3. The filmmakers are demanding that the board of the Korean Film Archive initiate the appointment process for a new director only after a new government is inaugurated and democracy is restored, in accordance with proper principles and procedures.
The Filmmakers’ Coalition emphasized, “At this moment, the Constitutional Court has unanimously decided to remove Yoon Suk Yeol from office, with only 48 days remaining until the new presidential election.” They added, “Someone who served as a spokesperson for the martial law that destroyed Korean democracy and caused suffering to the people has absolutely no authority to begin the appointment process for the director of the Korean Film Archive, which is a vital cornerstone of Korean film art and industry.”
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