Maestro Chung under embezzlement probe

By Jung Min-ho

Chung Myung-whun

Police are investigating Chung Myung-whun over suspicions that he embezzled more than 50 million won ($45,000) while employed as the music director at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) for the past decade.

Officers at the Jongno Police Station said Wednesday that they are analyzing transactions in Chung’s bank account records since he took the helm of the city-run orchestra in 2005.

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.

They also claim that Chung arranged for members of his family to travel using airplane tickets worth 13 million won in 2009, even though he knew that the tickets were supposed to be for his manager. Also, they believe that he spent 41 million won on hotel bills while having his house repaired.

After looking into the requested documents from the SPO, the police plan to summon some of its officials for questioning.

If prosecuted and convicted, according to lawyers, Chung could face up to 10 years in prison or 30 million won ($28,000) in fines.

Despite the increasingly serious nature of the allegations, a high-ranking official of the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Chung will not leave the orchestra.

“Chung won’t resign voluntarily,” the official was quoted as saying by Yonhap. “Chung said he will continue to work for the SPO until the end, although all these accusations are tough for him to deal with.”

The official added that he believes Chung’s role at the SPO is especially important after political infighting within the organization.

Another SMG official said police should consider what Chung has done for the SPO, which has become a world-class orchestra under his leadership, during their investigation.

“I’m concerned that classical musicians from around the world will now pay more attention to Chung and SPO’s infighting following the cancellation of its U.S. tour,” the official said.

In December, Chung signed a one-year contract extension with the SMG.

Critics say that Mayor Park Won-soon is going easy on Chung, and that the towering cultural figure, who is on the city’s payroll, is an exception to Park pledge that any corrupt civil servants will not be tolerated.

Last month, police raided the office of the SPO and its computer network management center over defamatory remarks made by its employees against their former boss, Park Hyun-jung.

She had to resign as the SPO’s CEO in December over allegations that she habitually harassed SPO employees sexually and verbally after taking office in February 2013.

When she left the SPO, Park accused Chung of encouraging them to accuse her.