Park Jin-young says he did not know of 2 mln won monthly committee payment
Version 2: New details were added from later reports: the lawmaker's office figures on the payments, the August television remark, the trademark dispute over the “Phenomena” project, and the confirmation that Park was adopted as an audit witness on September 29 and is due to appear on October 7.
In short
Park Jin-young, co-chair of the presidential Public Culture Exchange Committee and executive producer at JYP Entertainment, said he did not know he was receiving about 2 million won a month in duty expenses for the post, which had been described as unpaid. A lawmaker's office said he has received roughly that amount each month since November last year, more than 20 million won in total, plus a separate corporate card and overseas travel costs. Park said he would rather return the money but worries the next person in the role would then face pressure, and he is due to appear as a witness at the National Assembly audit on October 7.
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Park Jin-young, co-chair of the presidential Public Culture Exchange Committee and executive producer at JYP Entertainment, said he did not know he was receiving about 2 million won a month in duty performance expenses for the post, which had been presented as unpaid. He made the statement in an interview with SBS radio's “Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show” on Tuesday, saying he was “sorry” that he had not known. Park holds a minister-level position and is due to appear at the National Assembly audit the following day. [ 3 , 6 , 9 ]
The office of Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party said that, based on budget and spending records submitted by the committee, Park has been paid about 2 million won a month in duty performance expenses since November last year, with the total exceeding 20 million won, and that a separate work-expense card and overseas travel costs were also provided. Park had said in August on MBC's “I Live Alone” that he would serve as a non-standing member and would not receive an annual salary. [ 6 , 9 ]
Park said he would prefer to hand the money back, saying that receiving 2 million won and having his sincerity questioned would harm the work more than not taking it. He added, however, that if he refused the expenses, the next person in the role would be asked why they accept what Park declined, making the job harder for them. [ 3 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee adopted Park as a witness at a plenary session on September 29, at Rep. Bae's request, so that he could explain the committee's projects and vision. Park said he contacted the National Assembly himself to offer to attend, and that he chose to appear as a witness rather than a reference witness because witness testimony carries perjury liability, which he said would make his account credible. [ 3 , 6 , 9 ]
A second issue concerns the trademark for “Phenomena”, a global K-pop project pursued by the committee with HYBE, SM, JYP and YG. Park said JYP filed for the name first, using his own money, to stop anyone else registering it before the project was ready, and that he would transfer it once a person in charge was appointed. He said trademark rights would be split half to the government and half to the private side, and asked who would cooperate if his company held the trademark exclusively. [ 3 , 6 ]
Park also addressed travel and recruitment questions. He said he handled personal business schedules after government duties during a New York trip last year and did so knowing there would be objections. He said his company's principle is not to be close to political circles and that JYP has no government affairs department, that he initially declined the government's offer, and that he accepted the chairmanship on condition that he continue his company work, after meeting presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik. He said he worries who would take on such government work if he stepped back. [ 3 , 8 ]
Why it matters
The dispute concerns how the current government brought a well-known entertainment figure into a public role and how pay was handled for a post presented as unpaid. It is scheduled to be raised directly at the parliamentary audit, where Park has said he will testify as a witness, and it also touches the committee's flagship K-pop project and its trademark. The documents do not indicate how the hearing or the trademark question will be resolved.
Key facts
- Park Jin-young, executive producer at JYP Entertainment, is co-chair of the presidential Public Culture Exchange Committee, a minister-level post. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Park said he did not know he was receiving about 2 million won a month in duty performance expenses for the post. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- The office of Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party said Park has received about 2 million won a month since November last year, more than 20 million won so far, plus a separate work-expense card and overseas travel costs. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Park said in August on MBC's “I Live Alone” that he would serve as a non-standing member and would not receive an annual salary. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Park said he would rather return the money but is concerned that the next person in the role would be asked why they accept what he refused. [ 3 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- Park said he volunteered to appear as a witness, rather than a reference witness, at the National Assembly audit so that his testimony would carry perjury liability. [ 3 , 6 , 9 ]
- Park said JYP filed for the trademark of the committee's “Phenomena” project with his own money to stop anyone else registering it first, and that trademark rights would be split half to the government and half to the private side. [ 3 , 6 ]
- Park said JYP has no government affairs department, that he initially declined the government's approach and accepted on condition that he continue his company work, and that he handled personal business during a New York trip after government schedules knowing there would be objections. [ 3 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Park Jin-young said he did not know he was receiving about 2 million won a month for the committee post. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- The post had been described as unpaid before the payments were reported, and Park had said in August he would not take a salary. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Park said he wants to return the money but is concerned that doing so would make it harder for the next person to take the role. [ 3 , 6 , 8 , 9 ]
- Park said he will attend the National Assembly audit as a witness. [ 3 , 6 , 9 ]
- The lawmaker's office said Park received about 2 million won a month in duty expenses starting November last year, with the total exceeding 20 million won. [ 6 , 9 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Park will actually return the money and what the committee or government will decide. Park said he would rather return it but also said he cannot, for the sake of his successor; no document reports a decision or an official response.
- The exact composition and total of the payments, including the separate work-expense card and travel costs. The figures come from one lawmaker's office, relayed by two outlets, and are not broken down in the documents.
- How Park came to receive the payments without knowing, and who arranged them. Only Park's statement that he did not know is reported; no document describes the administrative process.
- The outcome of the trademark dispute over the “Phenomena” project. Park explained the filing and proposed a split of rights, but the documents give no decision by the government or the other companies.
- Whether the National Assembly audit will produce any finding on the payment or the trademark. The audit is scheduled for October 7; all documents were published before it took place.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo reports that the post described as unpaid came with about 2 million won a month, and Park's response that he did not know. [ 1 ]
- SBS News publishes its radio interview with Park, in which he discusses the payment, the committee, the trademark issue and his plan to attend the audit. [ 3 ]
- Korea Economic Daily carries a headline on Park saying he did not know he was receiving 2 million won a month and his reason for not returning it. [ 4 ]
- Maeil Business reports the lawmaker's figures on the payments and Park's account of volunteering as a witness, with the audit set for the following day. [ 6 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports Park saying he did not know about the payment and that he handled personal business during a New York trip knowing there would be objections. [ 8 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports Park's apology, his reluctance to return the money for his successor's sake, and his decision to appear as a witness rather than a reference witness. [ 9 ]