Seoul Phil members speak up for Chung

Cellist Park Mu-il, second from right, of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) speaks during a press conference at the SPO rehearsal room of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Kwon Ji-youn

The members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) held a rare press conference to show their support for maestro Chung Myung-whun who has been embroiled in embezzlement allegations.

Some 50 members of the orchestra attended the press conference at the SPO rehearsal room of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Tuesday, where they stressed the weight Chung carries with the SPO.

Their support for Chung comes as the conductor has decided not to renew his contract as music director of the nation’s top orchestra. Despite quitting the music director job, Chung made it clear that he will continue conducting.

“We are in the process of normalizing and realigning operations, and the absence of a musical director will only hamper this,” said cellist Park Mu-il, who represents the members. “Maestro Chung has some 30 years of experience leading some of the world’s finest orchestras. We need his leadership to give the reorganization procedure a smooth finish.”

The SPO members said in one voice that the orchestra is in dire need of Chung’s musical capabilities and experience.

“The SPO has accomplished so much over the last 10 years, and this was possible because of maestro Chung,” they said. “We trust and support him completely.”

They called on the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) to provide steady support for the state-run orchestra and to build it a music hall, which the SMG promised it would in 2005 when the orchestra was re-launched as an incorporated foundation, they said.

The members added that they support Chung’s attempts at protecting the rights of all employees of the SPO.

Infighting has strained the orchestra since December, when 17 employees of the administrative department filed a complaint against their former CEO Park Hyun-jung, claiming she had verbally and sexually abused them.

Former CEO Park alleged Chung was behind their petition for her removal and accused the maestro of abusing his privileges. Park was cleared of all charges on Aug. 11 due to a lack of evidence.

After the press conference, Park Mu-il met with the reporters and said that the members’ stance on the issue is based solely on the orchestra’s need for Chung’s musical guidance.

The conductor’s decision to step down as music director of the SPO, comprised of 103 members total, comes amid police investigation into suspicions that Chung embezzled more than 50 million won ($45,000) over the past decade.

The investigation is based on a petition filed by conservative activists last month, which claims that he diverted 54 million won of taxpayers’ money for personal use.

When asked whether their support of Chung will remain unchanged even if the maestro is found guilty of charges, Park said, “The investigation is ongoing, and we know too little about the situation to have an opinion. Even if he were found guilty, that’s something I believe we can deal with later.

“For now, all we’re saying is that we need Chung for the musical development of the SPO,” he continued. “The controversies surrounding the SPO, Chung and the former CEO has damaged our reputation and blemished our achievements, and we want this to stop. We are a music organization, and so we are concerned that the SPO is being framed politically.”