[Book View]Whose Is the Seoul International Book Fair?

Despite President Yoon's Decision Not to Run, Privatization Controversy Persists
Industry Calls for Safeguards... Government Urged to Take Responsibility

On February 24 of next month, the Korean Publishers Association will hold its next presidential election. Yoon Chulho, the current president (CEO of Sahoipyongron), who has served three consecutive terms since 2017, has announced that he will not run in this election. This is not due to institutional restrictions such as term limits. Both inside and outside the publishing industry, there is analysis that the decisive background is the accumulated fatigue from frequent clashes with the government and actions that have deviated from public expectations. However, there are signs that he intends to continue exerting influence by appointing close associates, while the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's oversight and supervision are noticeably absent.

Within the publishing industry, President Yoon is considered a hardline leader. There have been numerous instances where he has chosen unilateral decisions and confrontation over dialogue and compromise. The controversy over the privatization of the Seoul International Book Fair is a symbolic example. In projects receiving government subsidies, accounting transparency is a fundamental requirement. It cannot be justified as a matter of custom, and if issues were raised, they should have been addressed immediately. The association claims that there was tacit approval or implicit consent from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, but if true, the ministry is also not free from responsibility for condoning the situation. However, this does not absolve the association of its shortcomings in accounting practices.

When the police investigation began, the ministry changed the support method for the Seoul International Book Fair, which had been allocated about 700 million won. The previous system of "support through the association" was halted, and direct support to publishers was introduced. The association claimed in public campaigns that "government funding was cut off, so the book fair was held with its own budget," but this is not the case. Although the subsidies were slightly reduced compared to previous years, they were delivered directly to the participating publishers.

When government support no longer flowed through the association, President Yoon pushed for the conversion of the Seoul International Book Fair into a corporation. The plan to change the book fair, which had been hosted by the incorporated association since 1954, into "Seoul International Book Fair Inc." was approved at the board meeting in December 2023. The current capital is 1 billion won. The association, which contributed the trademark rights as an in-kind investment, holds 30%, Sahoipyongron (President Yoon) and Nowon Bookstore each hold 30%, and several publishers share the remaining 10%. Some in the publishing industry point out the problem of privatization, noting that "70% of the shares are concentrated in private hands."

The criticism continues. Shin Jungmin, CEO of Gyoyudang, said, "They say they will not receive dividends if we demand the articles of incorporation be made public, but that does not resolve suspicions of privatization," and questioned, "Who and how can control operational risks such as the misuse of corporate cards?"

The association is currently facing both external criticism and internal conflict. There has been fierce backlash from the publishing industry and the public over a questionable memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Coupang, which has been criticized for undermining coexistence by demanding lower supply rates, as well as the decision to award a special achievement award to Professor Park Yuha, author of "Comfort Women of the Empire," who is on trial for defamation of victims of Japanese military sexual slavery. Although the award was ultimately canceled after heated debate, it left a deep wound on the association's standards and sense of public responsibility.

As the next presidential election approaches, there are rumors that President Yoon is campaigning in advance by promoting a specific candidate as his successor. This individual is a director of Seoul International Book Fair Inc. and is likely to continue the current direction. There is even talk that, if this candidate loses, the association may consider excluding them from the book fair's management, but legal experts point out that this could easily escalate into a legal dispute.

With the Seoul International Book Fair, which has a 70-year history since its inception in 1954, now effectively in the hands of a few individuals, the presence of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is nowhere to be seen. How can we guarantee that their conscience and judgment will always align with the public interest? What is needed now is not silence that neglects the publishing industry, but responsible action by the government to at least establish minimal safeguards.