BIFF director Huh Moon-yung has no plans to return to post

The festival director of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Huh Moon-yung, who expressed his intention to resign last month, said that he has no plans to return to the position Wednesday. It follows a sexual misconduct allegation against...

A passerby walks across the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) logo in front of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District, eastern Busan, on May 24. [NEWS1]

The festival director of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Huh Moon-yung, who expressed his intention to resign last month, said that he has no plans to return to the position Wednesday. It follows a sexual misconduct allegation against him being reported to the Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film.

The BIFF secretariat announced Wednesday that the BIFF board had decided on a meeting with Huh to discuss his return to the festival, but that Huh had sent a message to the board that “due to personal problems” he was unable to return.

Four directors, including president of BIFF Lee Yong-kwan, were scheduled to meet with Huh to persuade him to return. With the meeting not having happened, the directors and Lee have internally proposed three scenarios to deal with the current issue of the festival director’s seat being vacant.

Huh had offered his resignation after Cho Jong-kook was named as managing director of the festival earlier this month. The position is effectively of the same rank as Huh's, managing the festival budget, personnel and administrative processes.

Although Huh had not specified the reasons for resigning, many see it as a protest against Cho's appointment.

Film industry organizations and insiders have been calling for Cho's resignation so that Huh would return to his post.

Many see Cho's appointment in the first place as a move to put a check on BIFF by administrative forces.

Meanwhile, an accusation against Huh has been filed to the Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film for alleged sexual abuse, by an employee of BIFF, according to the center. The employee accused Huh of allegedly using inappropriate and sexually explicit language and reported the case to the Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film, and is currently receiving legal advice from the center.

Huh denied these accusations to local press.

The 28th BIFF will be held in Busan from Oct. 4 to 13.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]