Culture Minister Yu In-chon forced to leave summit to take part in National Assembly session

Yu In-chon, Korea’s minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism had to abruptly return back to Seoul on Thursday morning to attend the National Assembly’s interpellation session on the same day.

Yu In-chon, culture, sports and tourism minister, at a general meeting in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Aug. 26. [NEWS1]

KYOTO, Japan — Yu In-chon, Korea’s minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who was visiting Japan for two-way and three-way meetings with the tourism and culture ministers of Japan and China, had to abruptly return back to Seoul on Thursday morning to attend the National Assembly’s interpellation session on the same day.

“Minister Yu, had to fly back to Korea to attend the fourth day of the National Assembly’s interpellation session on education, society and culture, which gets held on Thursday afternoon,” Kang Su-sang, the spokesperson of the Culture Ministry said on Thursday morning to Korean reporters who were accompanying the minister on his diplomatic trip. “The Culture Ministry notified the National Assembly about Minister Yu’s scheduled trip to Japan, however, his absence was not permitted, therefore, he has to attend the session.”

Yu left Korea on Tuesday for Japan and had bilateral talks with Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tetsuo Saito and attended the 10th Korea-Japan-China Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in Kobe.

He was originally scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Masahito Moriyama on Thursday morning, followed by a two-way meeting with Zhang Zheng, vice minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China. And then the three ministers were to have a Korea-Japan-China Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Kyoto.

Korea’s first vice minister of culture Yong Ho-seong arrived in Kyoto Wednesday morning just in time to attend the scheduled talks with the Japanese culture minister. Yong then attended the 15th Korea-Japan-China Culture Ministers' Meeting and signed a memorandum of cooperation to promote 2025 and 2026 as "Years of Cultural Exchange."

Regarding Yu's absence, the Culture Ministry said it notified Japan and China on Tuesday night and asked for their understanding.

According to the Culture Ministry, it notified the National Assembly about Yu’s scheduled trip, which was scheduled before the National Assembly decided on the date, and asked for a permission of absence. Although the permission was pending, Yu still left for the meetings as the National Assembly usually excuses such important international diplomatic meetings.

Yong Ho-seong, first vice minister of Korea's culture, sports and tourism, right, Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Masahito Moriyama, center, and Zhang Zheng, vice minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, left, pose for a photo during the 15th Korea-Japan-China Culture Ministers' Meeting at Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan, on Thursday. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

When there is an important event that overlaps with National Assembly’s interpellation session and a minister cannot attend, they have to receive approval from both the ruling and opposition parties and final approval from the chairman of the National Assembly. If a minister cannot attend, a vice minister usually attends as a proxy.

The Culture Ministry said it was notified on Wednesday, a day before the interpellation session, that Yu’s absence had not been permitted and that he has to attend.

This marks the first time a culture minister has had to return from an international meeting due to a conflicting National Assembly schedule.

Yu was to strongly appeal to Japan during Thursday’s meeting to add the word “forced” to the Sado mines exhibition and would talk about visa issues with his Chinese counterpart.

Korea has been firm about having Japan use the term “forced labor” if Japan is to register the Sado mines as a Unesco World Heritage Site. The site was registered on July 27 after receiving Korea’s consent for the registration. In return, Japan had to establish an exhibition hall near the Sado mines and hold an annual memorial ceremony for all the laborers, including those from the Korean peninsula. However, at the newly established exhibition space at the Aikawa History Museum, located about two kilometers (1.24 miles) from the mines’ site, has no specific wording describing the forced mobilization of Koreans during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule, and the issue has been heavily criticized in Korea.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]