"Nonpayment of Performance Fees at the 100th Anniversary Event of the Uiyeoldan Founding"…Complaint Filed Against Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon and Others

Officials of the 100th Anniversary Project Committee Sued for Fraud
Organizer Files Counterclaim for Defamation by Complainant

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A theater troupe that participated in the 100th anniversary commemorative performance of the anti-Japanese armed independence movement organization Uiyeoldan has filed a lawsuit against the organizers for not receiving performance fees. The organizers counter-sued the troupe’s representative for defamation.

According to the police on the 10th, the Gangdong Police Station in Seoul is investigating a case in which Jang Chang-geol, the representative of the theater troupe Miryang, filed a fraud complaint against Ham Se-ung, chairman of the Anti-Japanese Independence Patriots Promotion Federation (Hangdanyeon) and co-chairman of the Uiyeoldan 100th Anniversary Commemorative Project Committee (the Committee), Kim Won-ung, president of the Liberation Association, Min Sung-jin, secretary general of Hangdanyeon, and Lee Nak-yeon, a member of the Democratic Party and former Prime Minister.

Representative Jang claimed that he was commissioned to perform the Uiyeoldan 100th anniversary commemorative performance and conducted three performances from November to December last year under a contract worth a total of 278.5 million KRW, but the organizers promised that they would pay the performance fees with government budget support from the Blue House and the Prime Minister’s Office, yet he has not received the fees to date.

On the 2nd of last month, Representative Jang initially filed a fraud complaint only against Chairman Ham, President Kim, and Secretary General Min, but later resubmitted the complaint including Lee, who was the Prime Minister at the time of the performance contract.

Representative Jang explained the reason for adding Lee as a defendant, saying, "Other accused parties said that 'Lee expressed his intention to support the event budget during his tenure as Prime Minister,' but whether Lee promised the budget and did not provide it, or others lied, I want the investigation to clarify the responsibility."

After the initial lawsuit became public, the Committee issued a statement apologizing and expressing their intention to resolve the issue, and maintained their position to promptly resolve the unpaid performance fee issue even as the lawsuit and counter-lawsuit continued.

However, as Representative Jang continued to post criticisms of the Committee online after filing the lawsuit, Secretary General Min filed a complaint against Jang on the 21st of last month for defamation and obstruction of business under the Information and Communications Network Act. Secretary General Min claimed, "Representative Jang spread malicious claims and false information on blogs, YouTube, and other platforms." In June, Representative Jang was booked by the police after a dispute demanding payment of performance fees at the Committee’s office and was sent to prosecution with a recommendation for indictment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.