"Independence Hall Director Kim Hyungseok Faces Dismissal Over Unauthorized Private Use of Facilities... Board Meeting Set for 19th"

The board of directors of the Independence Hall of Korea is scheduled to convene on January 19 to discuss and vote on a motion to dismiss Director Hyungseok Kim, who has sparked controversy for the unauthorized private use of the museum's facilities.

Hyungseok Kim, Director of the Independence Hall of Korea. Photo by Yonhap News

Moon Jinseok, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party of Korea and a director of the Independence Hall, announced in a press release on January 15, "In accordance with Article 11, Clause 4 of the Independence Hall Act, more than one-third of the incumbent directors have requested a board meeting, so an emergency board meeting will be held at 2 p.m. on the 19th." He added, "The motion to dismiss Director Kim will be put on the agenda."

He pointed out, "According to the recently finalized audit by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Director Kim privately operated the Independence Hall for acquaintances, allowed unauthorized access to restricted storage areas, showed bias toward a particular religion, and habitually left work early. It is clear that he is unfit to serve as the head of the institution."

The request to convene the board meeting was made by a total of six directors: Moon Jinseok, Kim Yongman, Song Okju, Kim Iljin, Yoo Sejong, and Lee Sangsoo. The board of the Independence Hall consists of 15 members, and if at least one-third (5 members) request a meeting, the director must convene the board immediately. However, since the agenda concerns the dismissal of Director Kim, it is expected that the senior director will preside over the meeting.

The motion to dismiss the director will pass if approved by a majority of the incumbent directors, or at least 8 votes. With the six directors who requested the meeting, along with the president of the Liberation Association and the director-general of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the motion is expected to pass. If the dismissal motion is approved, the Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will recommend the dismissal to the President, who will then give final approval.

Director Kim was appointed in 2024 during the administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol. He previously stirred controversy at the 80th Liberation Day ceremony on August 15 last year by claiming that "liberation was a gift from the Allied Powers."