Singer Lee Seunghwan Holds First Hearing in Damages Lawsuit Against Gumi City Over Venue Cancellation

Did Not Comply with "Ban on Political Statements"
Lee Seunghwan Claims "Gumi City Unilaterally Canceled"

Singer Lee Seunghwan. Photo by Asia Economy DB

The first hearing for the damages lawsuit filed by singer Lee Seunghwan against Kim Jangho, the mayor of Gumi, was held, following ongoing conflict between Lee and Gumi City over the cancellation of a concert venue rental. The key issue is whether specific damages can be identified in order to determine the state's liability for compensation.

According to Yonhap News on the 25th, the Seoul Central District Court, Civil Division 913 (Presiding Judge Park Namjun), held the first hearing for a damages lawsuit worth 250 million won filed by Lee Seunghwan and audience members who had purchased tickets for the concert against Mayor Kim.

The court stated, "To seek state compensation, there must be a substantial causal relationship, and you must specify what damages occurred." This means the court is asking the plaintiffs to clarify what causal relationship exists and what damages were suffered, since the direct party affected by the concert venue cancellation was the event planning company, not the plaintiffs themselves.

Previously, Gumi City canceled the rental of the Gumi City Culture and Arts Center, the concert venue for Lee Seunghwan's 35th anniversary concert "Heaven," on December 23 last year, just two days before the event, citing the safety of citizens and the audience. This occurred after Mayor Kim requested that Lee Seunghwan's side submit a written pledge not to make political statements, but they refused to comply.

In contrast, Lee Seunghwan's side claimed that the demand for a written pledge and the unilateral cancellation of the venue rental constituted illegal acts, and filed a damages lawsuit. They also filed a constitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court, arguing that requiring a signed pledge infringed on freedom of expression.

In March, the Constitutional Court dismissed the complaint during the preliminary review stage, ruling that "the constitutional complaint is inadmissible and the defect cannot be remedied."

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