In an interview with a local newspaper, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director Chung Myung-whun said that he would not renew his contract, which expires at the end of the year.

His frustration with the continuing controversy surrounding his pay and alleged misuse of travel expenses by family members was palpable in the interview.

Chung’s troubles started late last year, when he stood by the SPO members who issued a statement alleging sexual harassment and abuse by then-SPO CEO Park Hyun-jung. Things turned ugly when Park went on the offensive, claiming that Chung was overpaid and that SPO money was inappropriately used to cover his family members’ travel expenses. Park eventually resigned. Earlier this month, police dismissed the charges against Park. 

In the meantime, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which conducted its own probe into the allegations Park made against Chung, concluded that there was no serious wrongdoing. The police investigation into allegations of misappropriation of SPO funds by Chung that was launched when civic groups filed a complaint, however, is still pending.

In the interview, Chung explained that an internal probe by the SPO found that he had not filed for travel expenses totaling 100 million won. Such an oversight seems unlikely from someone who is accused of defrauding the orchestra. As for his so-called “excessive pay,” he expressed frustration at the questions posed over his pay without considering the SPO’s achievements. 

Chung said while he would step down as the music director, he would honor his conducting commitments for next year. He said he would not accept payment for those performances, donating the sum to charitable organizations or toward improving the welfare of SPO members. Here, one can hear the pain of someone who is accused of taking “excessive pay” at the expense of taxpayers.

For classical music fans, Chung’s arrival at the SPO in 2006 was a blessing. Under the leadership of the internationally acclaimed conductor, the SPO has earned recognition abroad, touring Europe and the U.S. Last year, the SPO performed at the much coveted BBC Proms. The orchestra earned the distinction of becoming the first Asian orchestra to sign a major-label record deal and its recording has won several international awards.

Perhaps even more significant for the local music scene, Chung’s name is drawing more Koreans to concert halls. Ticket sales which stood at 38.9 percent before Chung’s arrival reached 92.9 percent at the end of last year, a remarkable achievement by any measure. Chung and the SPO have enriched the lives of Seoulites and Koreans in immeasurable ways through their regular concerts as well as free concerts that tour underprivileged neighborhoods.

Following Chung’s interview, the SPO CEO Choe Heung-sik said that he would try to find a way to convince Chung to renew his contract and Chung is reported to have said he would consider it. We would be remiss if we did not try to get Chung to stay. The maestro can contribute much more toward the flourishing of classical music in this country – he has repeatedly stated his desire to do so -- and his sudden departure would leave a gaping hole in the country’s cultural scene.