The Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has appointed Kim Sung-hee as director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul. The appointment follows the recent resignation of MMCA’s former director Youn Bum-mo, who stepped down nearly two years before his contract officially ended, amid speculation of political pressures from the conservative government of president Yoon Suk-yeol. Park Jong-dal, director of the MMCA’s Planning and General Management Bureau, had served as the museum’s interim director.
Kim takes the helm on 18 September, coming from her current role as the executive director and cofounder of CAN Foundation, a non-profit art centre that supports Seoul-based artists through exhibitions and residency programmes. Previously she was an associate professor at the Department of Curatorial Studies and Art Management at Hongik University. Her curatorial endeavours include the Incheon Women Artists’ Biennale in 2007 and a special exhibition at the 3rd Gwangju Biennale in 2000.
