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Seoul Philharmonic accepts chief’s resignation over alleged abuse

December 30, 2014

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Park Hyun-jung holds a news conference in Seoul on Dec. 5, 2014, after orchestra employees released a statement alleging Park’s use of abusive language and sexual harassment. (Yonhap)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — The board of the Seoul city orchestra on Tuesday accepted the resignation of its chief over allegations of sexual harassment and verbal abuse leveled against her.

The move came one day after Park Hyun-jung offered to step down as head of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

Earlier this month, staff members of the orchestra’s secretariat publicly accused her of habitually harassing them sexually and verbally since taking office in February last year.

The city’s human rights official later confirmed the rights violations, including insulting sexual jokes as well as abusive language, advising the city government to punish Park and take measures to help heal the victims. Park has denied the charges.

The board, during a regular meeting, also decided to extend its contract with maestro Chung Myung-whun as the orchestra’s music director by one more year.

Chung, whose contract ends on Dec. 31, offered to resign after Park claimed earlier this month that he arbitrarily changed the city orchestra’s schedules and bypassed the president when making official decisions.