The Ministry of Unification is facing controversy after attempting to recruit singer Harim for a youth-related event, but then halted the effort. Speculation has arisen that Harim's past performance at a rally calling for the resignation of former President Yoon Suk-yeol is what held them back.
On the 13th, singer Harim stated on his social media account that he received a sudden notice of cancellation for recruitment for an event hosted by a government agency, saying, "The reason is that I sang in the plaza last year." Harim had previously performed at the stage of the 'Citizen Cultural Festival Calling for the Resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol' held in Gwanghwamun Square at the end of last year.
Harim pointed out, "Despite the low guarantee for a North-South youth event, I agreed to participate, and since the posters had already been made, this kind of decision can only lead to misunderstandings akin to another blacklist, which I wonder if those in charge are aware of."
Harim did not specifically mention which event's recruitment was canceled. However, it has been confirmed that the event in question is the 'North-South Youth Talk Concert,' scheduled to be held on the 28th as part of the Ministry of Unification's 'North Korean Human Rights Empathy Project.'
In response to the growing controversy, a Ministry of Unification official said, "The planning team discovered during the review of the event proposal that the performer (Harim) was a major performer at last year's presidential resignation rally," adding, "The timing of the event coincides with the election period, which raised concerns about causing unnecessary political misunderstandings, leading to the halt of recruitment." The official further noted, "However, no exclusion policy or directive has been issued at the departmental level."
As the controversy intensified, Harim once again expressed through his social media account, "It seems that the post intended for my juniors has turned into another topic of debate. I suspect someone might have acted out of wariness, which could have led to this situation. While I try to understand it in that context, I worry about my fellow performers who could be in the same situation as I am, which is why I left this message."