The selection process for the head of Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), vacant for 17 months, will restart from scratch.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the 11th, all five candidates for the KOCCA presidency failed their final interview evaluations. While the ministry and KOCCA plan to reopen applications soon, observers expect the process to take considerable time.
KOCCA, which oversees support for domestic content industries including broadcasting, gaming, and music, has been operating under Acting President Yoo Hyun-seok since early September 2024. The ministry and KOCCA began accepting applications on the 13th of last month, narrowed candidates to five finalists, and conducted interviews, but reportedly deemed all candidates "unqualified."
Actor Lee Won-jong, a public supporter of President Lee Jae-myung, was reportedly among the interview candidates. Lee has maintained ties with the president since his tenure as Seongnam mayor, participating in campaign rallies. During last year's presidential election, Lee served as vice chairman of the K-Culture Powerhouse Committee directly under then-Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung.