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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] A police chief in Jeonbuk Province, South Korea, is under scrutiny for hosting a personal art exhibition at a local café without official authorization, raising questions over compliance with public service regulations.
According to the Jeonbuk Provincial Police Agency on Jan. 12, the chief began exhibiting 35 artworks at a café in the area last month. Some pieces were reportedly priced between 70,000 and over 1 million won (approximately $53–$760).
Under South Korea’s National Public Service Regulations, police officers are generally prohibited from engaging in for-profit activities outside their official duties. Exceptions are allowed if prior approval is obtained from the relevant authority. In this case, the chief did not apply for such authorization.
The officer defended the exhibition, stating that, according to guidelines from the Ministry of Personnel Management, the show did not constitute a recurring commercial activity requiring reporting. “As this is my first exhibition, I should have been more careful,” he said, adding that all sales will be canceled.
The incident highlights potential conflicts between personal creative pursuits and legal restrictions for public servants in South Korea.
알파경제 Kim Jisun (stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
