Singer Lee Seung-hwan refuted Gumi City's stance regarding the concert cancellation, stating, "'Safety' is not the reason."
On the 26th, Lee Seung-hwan wrote a lengthy post starting with, "The reason for the cancellation of the Gumi concert is not 'safety'."
He stated, "Our security team (the security office is located within the Dream Factory building, allowing for constant communication) has been in continuous communication with the Gumi Police Department's Crime Prevention Division (hereafter 'Gumi Police') since December 20, when we became aware of the anti-concert rally in the Gumi area."
According to the content, Lee Seung-hwan's security team contacted the Gumi Police to ensure the safety of concert attendees by avoiding the location of the anti-concert rally. However, just 23 minutes after confirming this, the Gumi Police suddenly contacted the security team, stating, "Please confirm as the article says the concert has been canceled."
Lee Seung-hwan also mentioned, "We notified the Gumi City Cultural and Arts Center around 2 PM on the 22nd that we would deploy more security personnel than usual to ensure safety inside and outside the venue. We requested information about the location of the rally but did not receive a response."
He further asserted, "In the end, safety is an excuse, and the core issue seems to be the refusal to sign a pledge not to make statements that could lead to political misunderstandings. This incident is a violation of the political neutrality obligation of the mayor, who is a public servant, and undermines the value of 'freedom of expression' in a democratic society."
On the 23rd, Gumi City canceled the venue reservation for Lee Seung-hwan's concert, citing safety concerns, and Lee Seung-hwan has since filed a lawsuit for damages against Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho on the 25th.
<Below is the full text of Lee Seung-hwan's statement>
The reason for the cancellation of the Gumi concert is not 'safety'
1.
Our security team (the security office is located within the Dream Factory building, allowing for constant communication) has been in continuous communication with the Gumi Police Department's Crime Prevention Division (hereafter 'Gumi Police') since December 20, when we became aware of the anti-concert rally in the Gumi area.
The security team first contacted the Gumi Police at 2:19 PM on December 20 for the purpose of reporting the safety of the audience. Subsequently, the Gumi Police confirmed to the security team that "the security personnel will be dispatched to the site and will be present." On December 23 at 10:16 AM, the security team contacted the Gumi Police to confirm the location of the reported anti-concert rally (to notify concert attendees to avoid that location), and at that time, the Gumi Police only promised to respond as soon as they confirmed.
However, just 23 minutes later, at 10:39 AM on December 23, the Gumi Police suddenly contacted the security team, stating, "Please confirm as the article says the concert has been canceled." The rest is known to everyone.
2.
We requested concert attendees through SNS and fan cafes to maintain physical distance from the anti-concert rally and to refrain from any actions or words that could provoke the rally participants.
3.
Additionally, we notified the Gumi City Cultural and Arts Center around 2 PM on December 22 that we would deploy more security personnel than usual to ensure safety inside and outside the venue. Immediately after this notification, we also requested, "If you could mark the currently reported rally location on a map and send it to us, we will inform the audience to avoid that location or maintain distance during their movement." We did not receive a response to this request.
4.
In fact, we were the ones who were truly concerned about 'safety.'
Who are we?! Dream Factory!!!!!!
In the end, safety is an excuse, and the core issue seems to be the refusal to sign a pledge not to make statements that could lead to political misunderstandings. In other words, this incident was caused by a violation of the political neutrality obligation of the mayor, who is a public servant, and undermines the value of 'freedom of expression' in a democratic society.
