President’s son at center of debate over receipt of government art grant

Artist Moon Joon-yong hit for announcing he received government grant

By Jung Da-min

Media artist Moon Joon-yong, son of President Moon Jae-in / Screenshot from Facebook

Media artist Moon Joon-yong, the son of President Moon Jae-in, and Cheong Wa Dae have been engaged in a war of words with the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) over the alleged preferential treatment of the President’s son who received another government grant for artists recently.

The debate started heating up after the artist announced on Facebook on June 18, that he had received 69 million won ($61,135) from the Arts Council Korea (ARKO) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in the category of artists who combine art and technology in their work.

“I would like to announce that I have been selected for a grant of 69 million won to support a project in the field of the creative fusion of art and technology, run by Arts Council Korea. Of the 102 applicants, a total of 24 recipients were selected, including 15 recipients who were awarded the same amount I was,” Moon said. “Through this achievement (of having been awarded the funds), my work can be seen as having been evaluated on the basis of its merit. It is something to be celebrated and something to be proud of, but I’m worried that some people might think otherwise. If there are any comments to which I need to respond, I will.”

The artist was also embroiled in a fairness controversy late last year after receiving COVID-19 relief funds for artists in preparation for his solo exhibition. He received 14 million won from a foundation affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which members of the conservative opposition bloc claimed amounted to “special treatment” of him because of his father, saying there were other artists who needed the funding more.

After this latest announcement, Moon has again been attacked by members of the conservative main opposition party, who have raised questions concerning the fairness of the screening process.

Media artist Moon Joon-yong, the son of President Moon Jae-in, announces his being selected to receive 69 million won ($61,135) from the Arts Council Korea under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in a Facebook post, June 18. Screenshot from Facebook

Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the PPP questioned the fairness of the screening process during a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council, Monday, saying that the judges would feel pressured if they knew the artist was the son of the President.

Moon Joon-yong immediately responded, issuing a statement on Facebook the same day, in which he criticized Bae, saying that she would actually be one to reject him deliberately, despite his talents as an artist, on the basis that he is the son of the President.

Bae, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, continued to attack Moon during a meeting of the committee the following day, saying that Moon should attend a National Assembly inspection session as a witness. The two have since been engaged in a fierce public debate online, issuing statements attacking each other.

Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the conservative main opposition People Power Party (PPP) speaks during a meeting of the party’s Supreme Council at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Rep. Kwak Sang-do of the PPP also said that judges could not help but feel pressured if they knew that the artist was the son of the President. Kwak’s office released records of ARKO’s screening process, Tuesday, saying that the artist started his interview by introducing himself, which goes against President Moon’s employment policy that focuses on fairness and promotes “blind” recruitment in the public sector.

But members of the liberal ruling bloc, including Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and Lee Cheol-hee, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, expressed support for Moon, saying that criticizing him simply for receiving government funding while being the son of the President is unfair.

But other critics said that apart from the controversy over the fairness of the screening process, Moon should have refrained from publicly announcing that he had received the funds, as he had been involved in a similar controversy earlier.

“I do not believe that Moon was selected because he is the son of the President,” Kim Keun-sik, a professor of foreign relations at Kyungnam University’s College of Law and Politics and a member of the PPP, posted on Facebook, Wednesday. “But even if Moon has been recognized for his skills as an artist and selected in an open application process, he should have kept silent and worked quietly as an artist without making a fuss, considering his position as the son of the President. Moon’s narcissism and public boasting on Facebook about the fact that he was selected as a recipient of the 69 million won support fund, saying that it was an honor, has fueled the problem.”