On February 26, after several hours of negotiation with the Korean sponsor of the U.S. Divine Performing Arts, Korea's state-operated KBS TV submitted to the pressure exerted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and decided to cancel the scheduled Divine Performing Arts 7:00 p.m. show at the Pusan KBS Theater that evening.
When the decision was announced, it caused an uproar amongst audiences waiting in line to enter the theater. Some cried and said, "Isn't our government democratic? How come they can't even let us see a cultural show?" "How come the show is allowed in Seoul but not in Pusan? There are no fools in Pusan." "We are disappointed with KBS, we are going to call on friends to boycott KBS shows."
When news of the cancellation was released, audiences outside the theater requested an explanation from KBS. 70-year-old Ms Kim Jae-young who bought two tickets priced at 80,000 Korean won each (Approximately $90 USD) was very surprised to hear that the show was cancelled. She requested an explanation from KBS.
Mr Jung, who came from out of town especially to watch the show, said, "He said he definitely is going to ask for compensation from KBS as well as legal sanctions. "They used taxpayer's money but did not fulfill their obligations to citizens. This is not going to happen in our country from now on. A friend in Seoul told me how wonderful the show was, I was full of anticipation, and I have waited and waited for the day to come."
Ms Ahn Young-ja saw an advertisement for the Divine Performance Arts show and thought it would be a very good show to see. She and 15 others planned to come to the show. When she arrived at the theater and heard of the cancellation, she too was unable to comprehend how this could have happened. She asked KBS for compensation.
Kim Mi-Jung and her husband came together. She said, "We took valuable time off to come for the show. We are intellectuals; Pusan citizens are no fools. We are definitely going to protest. KBS is wrong; we are not going to watch KBS TV programs anymore."
A 60-year-old lady from Shanghai asked why, since the show was so successful in Seoul, it could not be shown in Pusan? "Isn't this a country of the same nationality?"
Kim Jin-im, who came to the show with her mother, sobbed as she said, "I am really upset this time, I am so disappointed. When I learnt in Kyung University that there would be shows in Pusan, I bought the tickets, but didn't expect this kind of thing to happen. This kind of thing should not happen in Korea."
"To us, this is a form of persecution both materially and spiritually. As a Korean citizen, it is hard to accept this. Literature and art should not be tainted with politics or other matters. It is wrong to treat citizens like this. We have planned to come to this show for some time. The pressure the CCP exerted on KBS is obviously an act of infringement."
As to the newly sworn-in Lee Myung Bak government, it is interesting to observe how they are going to face the consequential international public debate and condemnation as well as the damage to Korea's international image the incident has caused.
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