Hidden Face of Star Minister
By Kim Ji-soo
Culture Editor
It was some time in the late 1990s. Yu Theater's production of ``Hamlet'' was enjoying success. A popular television star Yu In-chon had opened his theater and was starring in the lead role of the Danish prince Hamlet. On the darkly-lit stage, he so poetically portrayed the anguished prince, proving that there was a true thespian hiding behind his popular demeanor.
The actor is now the nation's culture, sports and tourism minister. His appointment follows in the tradition of his predecessors. Former Culture Minister Kim Myung-gon is an actor. Another former Culture Minister Lee Chang-dong is an award-winning director.
When his appointment was announced, the general response seemed to be of anticipation. Having played the role of President Lee Myung-bak in a television drama, Yu's image has largely been positive.
Yu's fresh attempt so far has been his open call for leaders of cultural organizations appointed by former President Roh Moo-hyun to step down. In the span of a week, Yu has asked that heads of cultural organizations sharing similar political views with the previous administration to step down. He first made the remark on March 12, at the Gwanghwamun Forum, a group of art patrons. Then, on March 14, he reiterated his point at the ministry's debriefing session to the president that took place in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. Then in an interview with a local daily, published March 17, Yu named two specific names, Kim Jung-heun, chairman of Arts Council of Korea and Kim Yun-su, director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The Arts Council of Korea is a powerful group that can provide about 110 billion won in aid to the arts community.
Following Yu's remarks, three officials have stepped down. Oh Jee-chul, president of Korea Tourism Corporation, Jung Soon-kyun, CEO of the Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation and Shin Hyun-ta, president of Seoul Arts Center resigned. In the case of Oh and Jung, both understood the message when the ministry notified them to not attend the session in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province for ``lack of space.''
Among the three, Oh, was a career diplomat whose tenure was slated to run through November 2011. Jung and Shin's tenures were also to run through 2009 and 2010, respectively. Without having to fire them, Yu induced their resignations.
The ministry has some 35 organizations that either fall directly under or are affiliated with it. Some are powerful, like the Arts Council of Korea with its huge budget to allocate to artistic fields.
Under the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration, the cultural sector has widely been viewed as having a specific political spectrum. Conservative artists groups, namely the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organization, has complained that members and officials of the progressive artist group ― the Korean People's Artists Federation, have dominated the artistic offices under the previous administration.
When an administration changes hands, it's natural that there will be change among politically appointed offices. But to call on incumbent leaders who have a chunk of their tenure remaining to step down is difficult to understand. Perhaps Minister Yu is acting not merely as culture minister but as government spokesman, a role he is likely to assume under a new government structure. The new Lee Myung-bak government folded the Korea Information Service. Perhaps the new government has to award those who have helped him win the election. Some argue that few officials appointed at the ``last-minute'' last year by former President Roh lack expertise for their jobs. Obviously, it would be nice to have a more equal allocation of artistic budget. But surely the culture sector isn't the only one with these problems? Is the sector fighting someone else's fight?
The purpose of appointing artists to the culture minister was so that they would bring fresh insight into the rigid bureaucracy. The expectation with yet another artisan-turned-minister was that he would, with an open mind, embrace an existing bureaucratic system and personnel while bringing in fresh insights. Minister Yu said that he stepped down as chief of Seoul Cultural Foundation when a new mayor came in. But that was his choice. Whatever the intentions behind the latest struggle, arts like our minds, should strive to be free.