Cho Yoon-sun, SouthKorea‘s culture minister, has resigned after being arrested on Saturday, 21 January, following allegations that she compiled a ‘blacklist’ of almost 10,000 artists who have voiced criticism of impeached president Park Geun-hye, AFP reports. Seoul‘s Central District Court had issued a warrant for her arrest on charges of abuse of authority and perjury. The minister is alleged to have created the list to exclude those listed from government subsidies and other opportunities, and to put them under surveillance.
The blacklist comprises many working in film, theatre, music, fine arts and literature, including the novelist Han Kang, winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize and Oldboy film director Park Chan-wook. Many on the list have criticised or satirised president Park’s government, or her late father, Korea’s former leader Park Chung-hee.
23 January 2017
