Kim, Cho to be quizzed today over blacklist
By Kim Se-jeong
Kim Ki-choon
Cho Yoon-sun
The independent counsel will summon former presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon and Culture Minister Cho Yoon-sun, today, for questioning over their alleged involvement in the creation of a blacklist of artists and institutes critical of the government.
Lee Kyu-chul, the spokesman for the counsel team investigating the corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil, said Monday that Cho will be called in at 9:30 a.m. and Kim at 10 a.m. for grilling as suspects.
They are likely to face charges of abuse of power. The two were suspected of playing a role in compiling the blacklist of around 9,000 artists critical of the Park administration. Those on the list were allegedly denied government subsidies.
Kim, who held the Cheong Wa Dae post from August 2013 to February 2015, allegedly orchestrated the list creation starting in 2014. Cho, who served as presidential secretary for political affairs from June 2014 to May 2015, was allegedly in charge of making the list and handing it over to the ministry. Both have continued denying their involvement.
Cho initially claimed in a National Assembly hearing that she wasn’t even aware of the list but later admitted she knew there was a list to exclude specific artists from state subsidies. The change of statement leaves her facing a perjury charge as well.
Also, they allegedly influenced the culture ministry to fire high-ranking employees who stood up against the blacklist project.
The blacklist reportedly includes prominent cultural figures, including film director Park Chan-wook, poet Ko Un and novelist Han Kang.