[2025 National Audit] "Sorry for the Jongmyo Tea Gathering"... Cultural Heritage Administration Officials Apologize in Succession

Head of Palaces and Royal Tombs Center: "We failed to exercise caution"
Cultural Heritage Administration Chief: "Will request investigation if necessary"

Yonhap News Agency

Officials from the Cultural Heritage Administration bowed their heads in succession amid the controversy over Kim Keonhee's 'Jongmyo Tea Gathering'.

On October 16, Lee Jaepil, head of the Palaces and Royal Tombs Center at the Cultural Heritage Administration, said during the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit, "Even if there was a request from the Presidential Office, we should have made a more careful judgment, but we failed to do so," adding, "I apologize."

In September last year, Kim held a tea gathering with external guests at Jongmyo, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and was criticized for using a national heritage site for personal purposes.

Assemblyman Yang Moonseok criticized, "The head of the Palaces and Royal Tombs Center, who has the authority to manage and permit the use of Jongmyo, avoided responsibility and attempted to cover it up." He continued, "Even during last year's audit, you consistently claimed ignorance, and this led to false reports and perjury."

When asked, "Why was no usage fee charged for Jongmyo?" Lee delayed his answer for a while before responding, "If only Mangmyoru was used, it would be about 1.5 million won."

Yonhap News Agency

Assemblywoman Lim Ohkyung mentioned that the Yeongnyeongjeon Shrine, which houses the ancestral tablets of the Joseon royal family, was opened at the time, and asked, "Are you willing to apologize to the descendants?" Lee replied, "I will apologize." However, he denied some media reports by saying, "Although the door to one shrine was opened, no one entered inside." He added, "We will use this incident as an opportunity to strengthen the standards for preservation and management of cultural heritage," and promised, "We will make sure this does not happen again."

Heo Min, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, also stated, "The Jongmyo tea gathering was clearly wrong," and added, "Regardless of the investigation by Special Prosecutor Min Jungki's team, we will request our own investigation if necessary."