A state-run body for local craftsmen ended up taking away space originally designed for artists in the name of helping push a national project, according to sources with knowledge of the industry.

The Korea Craft and Design Foundation, a state-run organization located in Insa-dong, Seoul, had initially provided office and research space to craftsmen for a fee. Designed to help individual craftsmen and the industry, the foundation has exhibited traditional crafts like fans, wooden masks and folk dolls in the gallery. 

In 2015, the foundation suddenly changed the policy on space for craftsmen and allowed a nation brand development team affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to use it for free, a person familiar with the deal told The Korea Herald.

The team until recently worked with public relations firm Creative Arena, which is under suspicion of being controlled by Cha Eun-taek, a close associate of Choi Soon-sil. Choi, a longtime confidante of President Park, is at the center of a widening corruption and influence-peddling scandal.

It remains unclear whether the nation brand development team has had any direct links with Cha or Choi.

The Culture Ministry’s nation brand project came up with the “Creative Korea” slogan, which ironically sparked a heated controversy over alleged plagiarism.

A Culture Ministry official told The Korea Herald that the decision to let the brand team use the office area for free was made in consideration of the public nature of the project.

A local craftsman, however, claimed that artists were “completely excluded from the decision making” on the space of the foundation. “We have fallen victims to the government’s lack of attention to the industry,” he said.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)