Jae-Hyun Jung, Daegu Suseong District Council Member, Urges Correction of Chronic Issues at Suseong Cultural Foundation Using 20 Billion Won Annual Budget

Jae-Hyun Jung, Daegu Suseong District Council Member (Beomeo 1·4-dong, Hwanggeum 1·2-dong), strongly criticized the chronic organizational culture issues of the Suseong Cultural Foundation and called for structural reform and responsible administration during the 4th plenary session of the 273rd regular meeting held on December 19.

Jung stated, "The Suseong Cultural Foundation is a core funded and contributed institution operated with 20 billion won of residents' taxes annually. Considering the total budget of the Culture and Tourism Department is 30 billion won, its administrative significance is very high." He criticized, "The CEO position has been vacant for an extended period, the organization is mainly run by dispatched public officials, and repeated audit findings along with internal conflicts continue to persist."

Jae-Hyun Jung, Daegu Suseong District Council Member

In particular, regarding the hiring of a level-4 executive in 2023, he pointed out, "A candidate who did not meet the required career qualifications passed the document screening and proceeded to the interview stage, and an individual with a conflict of interest with the candidate participated as a member of the review panel." He emphasized, "The fairness and legitimacy of the recruitment process have been seriously undermined." He added, "Even though these issues were pointed out in a comprehensive audit, they were not properly addressed during the contract renewal process in September 2025."

He also raised concerns regarding the ongoing workplace harassment investigation, stating, "There are demands for the submission of witness lists and reports of contact with the accused. Given that an executive-level employee is the accused, is it possible to conduct a fair investigation?"

Jung questioned the district mayor about follow-up measures concerning organizational expansion, the increase in delegated administrative tasks, the plan for appointing a new CEO, and the response to workplace harassment.

He further stated, "Early intervention is crucial for organizational culture issues. Now is the time for transparent assessment, bold reform, and proactive administration," and strongly demanded responsible measures to ensure that the Suseong Cultural Foundation can be reborn as a trusted public institution.