Culture minister Cho denies blacklist making

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Cho Yoon-sun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) is reeling under the Choi Soon-sil scandal, followed by investigations of its major projects and budget cuts. To make matters worse, newly inaugurated Minister Cho Yoon-sun is taking the blame for allegedly creating a blacklist of artists critical of the government.

Cho, a former presidential secretary for political affairs and gender equality minister, took the culture minister position in August.

Korean media reported Monday that Cho and first culture vice minister Jung Kwan-joo, then-presidential secretary for public communications, took the lead in compiling the blacklist containing the names of over 9,000 artists and cultural figures and submitted the list to Cheong Wa Dae and the culture ministry between summer 2014 and January 2015.

The MCST immediately released a statement saying it is not true and the ministry will take legal action including requesting corrections from news organizations.

Minister Cho also denied the accusations. "I was appointed secretary soon after the Sewol ferry accident and spent time under Assembly investigations. Then I worked on reforming the National Government Organization Act and public official pensions," Cho told Yonhap News. "I have deep affection for culture and art and it is illogical for me to have created such a blacklist."