Korea Times chairman appointed Seoul Philharmonic board chair

Seung Myung-ho, chairperson of The Korea Times, has been appointed as chairman of the board of directors of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), a public arts organization supported by the Seoul Metropolitan City, the city government said Friday.

Seoul City said Seung was appointed as board chair based on his expertise as the chairperson of Dongwha Group and his deep understanding of classical music, as he has contributed to the development of the Korean classical music scene.

"Chairperson Seung Myung-ho is expected to contribute to the continuous development of the SPO, drawing on his managerial expertise and his high understanding of the classical music industry through his experience as a board director of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra and a non-executive director of the SPO," the city government said.

The city also appointed Jung Jae-wal, vice president of Seoul Cyber University, as the CEO, believing that the cultural administration expert will play a significant role in the stable operation and artistic development of the SPO.

"The new CEO, Jung Jae-wal, is an expert with a deep understanding of cultural administration and rich experience, and he is expected to significantly contribute to the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's leap to becoming a world-class symphony orchestra alongside Music Director Jaap van Zweden," the city government said.

Having been active in both public and private sectors, Jung has contributed to transforming Korea's performing arts industry through initiatives such as the now-common seasonal performance system, a theater service in which a theater unveils its seasonal program in advance, enabling audiences to enjoy the shows they want, as well as a package ticket system, and his expertise in arts management and leadership makes him the right person for the SPO, the Seoul city government added.

The new CEO and board chairman were selected through a competitive public process in accordance with the foundation's articles of incorporation. Their term is three years from the date of appointment.