Yoo In-chon predicts conflict, saying, “Next year’s book and publishing budget will be centered on the Publication Promotion Agency, not on collaboration.”

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon predicted a conflict by announcing that he would exclude the Korea Publishing Culture Council, a representative organization in the publishing industry, from the process of executing budgets related to reading and publishing next year. Minister Yoo had lunch with reporters at a restaurant in Sejong City on the 24th and said, “We plan to make up for the reading and publishing budget that was cut this year next year and change all of our businesses.”

In particular, “The Publication and Culture Industry Promotion Agency (Publication Promotion Agency) was created as a government-affiliated organization, but (budget execution, etc.) is leaning toward the publishing cooperatives, which are private organizations. “Starting next year, we will ensure that the Korea Publishing Agency plays a central role,” he emphasized.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism caused controversy by cutting 10 billion won from this year’s reading and publishing budget during last year’s budget planning process. As voices of dissatisfaction emerged from the reading and publishing community regarding this, Minister Yoo declared at the ‘World Book Day’ event on the 23rd, “We will restore the reading promotion budget that has been drastically reduced.”

Regarding the budget cut, Minister Yoo said, “If we continue this year with what we did last year, we will not be able to increase the budget. He explained the reason, saying, “We need to ensure restructuring before we can start a new business.” At the same time, he said, “First of all, we will eliminate various small businesses in the book and publishing industry and change them into large chunks that will be executed by local governments rather than the central government.”

As Minister Yoo announced his ‘exclusion of cooperation’, the conflict in this year’s budget preparation process is expected to deepen further. With over 700 publishers as regular members and over 3,000 publishers including associate members, it is the largest interest group in the publishing industry. It hosts the Seoul International Book Fair and acts as a deposit agency for the National Library of Korea, and receives a subsidy of approximately 1.5 billion won every year from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Last year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism defined the bookstore as a ‘publishing cartel’, claiming that former Minister Park Bo-kyun had omitted profits from the Seoul International Book Fair for six years, and requested the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to investigate the bookstore’s chairman, Yoon Cheol-ho, and Seoul International Book Fair CEO Joo Il-woo. Accordingly, the Chulhyup Association also filed a countersuit against four officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for defamation.

Although a new Minister Yoo took office, the conflict continues as this year’s investment budget was cut. Regarding this, Minister Yoo said, “I cannot freely do what happened under the previous minister. “We will try to resolve this issue by meeting (with the cooperative),” he added.

On this day, to mark the 6th month since his inauguration, Minister Yoo held a ‘Culture What’s Chat’ talk concert with young interns and employees at the Parkyeon Cultural Center in Sejong City and shared opinions on what he felt at the scene and the direction of cultural policy.

In particular, ‘on-site’ was emphasized to employees. Minister Yoo said, “The idea that the answer lies in the field remains unchanged,” and added, “We will continue to visit the field to make people see what they cannot see and hear what they cannot hear.” Since taking office, Minister Yoo has been active in the field, holding about 190 field meetings over the past six months.

‘Diversity’ was also emphasized to employees. Minister Yoo said, “Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism employees are on the one hand artists and on the other hand administrators. “We have to go back and forth on this stepping stone appropriately,” he emphasized. “It’s okay to hear things like, ‘Isn’t the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism a bit strange?’ As long as I’m around, I won’t criticize you for doing strange things. “I wish you would bring me something strange,” he said. At the same time, he received applause by saying, “I will do my best as minister to allow you to do whatever you want to do.”

Reporter Kim Ki-joong