Minister Asked About Yoo’s Dismissal

The fact-finding body on the Yoo Jin-ryong scandal launched by the Grand National Party has questioned Kim Myeong-gon, the minister of the Culture and Tourism, about the incident concerning Yoo’s dismissal, especially whether Cheong Wa Dae wielded influence on the selection of the vice-president of the Arirang TV, the state-funded English TV channel and the president of the Korean Film Archive, a local film industry promotion agency. Mr. Yoo, the former deputy minister of the Culture and Tourism, was dismissed recently.

The fact-finding body asked Kim about whether Mr. Yoo was not competent enough to be dismissed and when he got to know the result of the job evaluation committed by Cheong Wa Dae.

The Minister said, “ I understand that he was sincere with his work but I don’t think it is proper for me to mention about his resignation.”

In addition, Kim answered the interpellation on the delay of projects by the Newspaper Circulation Agency, which Cheong Wa Dae had mentioned as a cause of Yoo’s resignation, saying, “My understanding is that I, as a minister, am in charge of the matter as a whole, but besides the delay issue, his resignation was due to a set of other complicated problems.”

Concerned lawmakers pressed hard on him, saying, “Cheong Wa Dae attempted influence-peddling with respect to the selection process of the vice-president of the Arirang TV and the president of the Korean Film Archive.” In response, Kim said, “ I regard it as part of the consultation process.”

myzodan@donga.com