"Politicians Should Not Recklessly Mention Artists" vs "Shamelessness" Moon Jun-yong and Opposition Party Verbal Clash

Moon Jun-yong Receives 14 Million KRW Emergency Art Support Fund for COVID-19 Damage
"Couldn't You Apply Considering Poor Artists?" Criticized by Opposition
Moon Responds, "If My Exhibition Is Canceled, Small Artists Contracted with Me Will Suffer"

President Moon Jae-in's son, Moon Jun-yong / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Moon Jun-yong, son of President Moon Jae-in, and opposition parties have been engaged in a heated exchange of words for several days. The controversy arose when Moon received 14 million won in emergency art support funds for damages caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and opposition parties criticized that "the money meant to support small-scale artists was received by the president's son." Moon responded to these criticisms.

On the 22nd, Moon posted on his Facebook a post titled "A rebuttal to the claim that it is problematic for the president's son to receive COVID-19 support funds meant for small-scale artists," stating, "Support funds for small-scale artists are announced separately," and added, "If my exhibition is canceled due to COVID-19, the gallery and curator contracted with me suffer damages. All of them are the small-scale artists you are talking about."

He continued, "If I receive the support funds and hold an exhibition, the costs are paid to those small-scale artists," and explained, "I submitted such a plan when applying for the support funds, and the money has already been given to the small-scale artists."

Moon also pointed out, "My work has been recognized even before I became the president's son," and warned, "Politicians should not recklessly mention small-scale artists." This is interpreted as a rebuttal to some politicians who claimed that his receipt of the support funds was a special favor.

Moon Jun-yong is demonstrating his artwork using augmented reality at Paradise City in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, on October 22. / Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier in April, Moon reportedly applied for the support funds, stating that "three planned exhibitions were canceled, causing significant losses."

According to the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, a total of 605.61 million won was allocated for support in the visual arts field, distributed to 46 recipients. Among them, Moon received the highest amount of 14 million won. Using the received support funds, Moon held a solo exhibition at a gallery in Seoul on the 17th.

In response, opposition parties criticized Moon for receiving special favors. Kim Mi-ae, Emergency Committee Member of the People Power Party, wrote on her Facebook that day, "Shamelessness has disappeared," and questioned, "Although there is no law restricting the president's son from applying for COVID support funds, couldn't he have refrained from applying out of consideration for poor artists without a father who pays taxes?"

Kim Geun-sik, Professor at Gyeongnam National University and head of the Songpa-byeong district party committee of the same party, strongly criticized, saying, "Moon Jun-yong's receipt of COVID support funds reveals the immoral and shameless true face of the progressive power class."

As the controversy grew, Moon rebutted in a Facebook post that afternoon, stating, "COVID support funds are not money given to artists as income but money that artists use for exhibitions and artwork production," and added, "The support funds are intended to circulate throughout the art industry, which has been damaged by COVID."

He further explained, "From the beginning, usage regulations were set with this purpose, and detailed plans were submitted and reviewed for appropriateness before selecting me as a recipient," and said, "The support funds are deposited into a separate account that the artist cannot touch, and receipts are thoroughly inspected."

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