By Kwon Ji-youn
A Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) staff member has attempted suicide, according to reputed British music critic Norman Lebrecht.
Lebrecht wrote in a blog post on June 24 that an SPO staff member “unsettled by the raids and interrogations, tried to commit suicide earlier this week with an overdose of sleeping pills. The individual is now recovering at a hospital.”
The employee is undergoing police interrogation over alleged defamatory remarks made by SPO employees against their former boss Park Hyun-jung.
Former SPO CEO Park in December 2014 filed a complaint claiming SPO staff members had tarnished her reputation, some 10 days before she officially stepped down from her post. She resigned on Dec. 29, 2014 in response to a petition made by 17 employees of the SPO's administrative department requesting her removal, and an internal investigation into her misconduct and mistreatment of employees. They said Park had habitually harassed her subordinates sexually and verbally.
But Park told The Korea Times Tuesday that Lebrecht’s report was not true.
“The employee may have been hospitalized for some other reason, but he did not attempt suicide,” Park said firmly. “I wonder whether by being hospitalized, he is trying to avoid the investigation.” The hospital declined to comment on the employee’s condition.
Park said that it was this employee who had claimed she had sexually abused him while she was in office and she denied the accusations.
“Last Thursday, we spent four hours together being questioned,” she said. “When the SPO employees demanded my resignation citing sexual and verbal harassment, I wasn’t made aware of when and where the alleged sexual harassment took place, but I learned through a decision letter issued by the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s (SMG) Human Rights Center the alleged misconduct took place in September 2013. His accusations aren’t true ― otherwise, why would he wait until December 2014 to report it?
“As far as I know, Lebrecht, SPO’s music director Chung Myung-whun and Michael Fine, who works closely with the SPO as senior advisor, are very close,” she added.
Park has claimed that Chung was the driving force behind a conspiracy to remove her.
Meanwhile, the SMG announced Tuesday it has appointed Choe Heung-sik, former president of Hana Financial Group, as CEO. His term begins today.
In a statement, the SMG said, “Choe has a deep understanding of the importance of art and culture, and his experience at a banking organ will help the SPO get back on track financially. His knowledge of classical music and his constant sponsorship of related organizations make him the right man for the job.”
Park said she approves of the new appointment.
“Hana Financial Group has for the last nine years sponsored the SPO, and I had the chance to meet him when I was CEO,” she said. “Choe has approached his administrative and managerial duties very sensibly.”
To concerns regarding his lack of experience with music organizations, she stressed, “The music director should be in charge of the music, and the CEO, in charge of management. If the executives get too involved in the music, then conflicts with the music director will be unavoidable.”