[비즈한국] Amid ongoing controversy over the name ‘Kim Byung-ju Library’ in the wake of the Homeplus situation, it has been confirmed that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has recently established a clause in a city ordinance that allows for the revocation of donor recognition. As the name Kim Byung-ju Library was decided as a form of donor appreciation, attention is focused on whether the establishment of grounds for revoking such recognition will lead to an actual name change.
City Council Review Report Mentions the Kim Byung-ju Library Case
On March 30, the Seoul Metropolitan Government fully revised the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Recognition and Support of Donors’ and changed the title to the ‘Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Promotion of Donation Culture.’ A notable change is the newly added clause regarding the revocation of donor recognition, which did not exist previously.
According to Article 7 of the revised ordinance, ‘Post-management of Donor Recognition,’ the Seoul Metropolitan Government may revoke recognition if a recognized donor: △violates laws or makes donations through false pretenses; △is sentenced to imprisonment or heavier punishment due to criminal or illegal acts; or △is judged as inappropriate for continued recognition by the Donation Review Committee.
It is particularly noteworthy that the controversy over the Kim Byung-ju Library was explicitly mentioned during the creation of this clause. The Seoul Metropolitan Council’s review report stated, "As there has recently been controversy regarding the name of the 'Seoul Municipal Kim OOO Library,' there is a necessity to provide an institutional safety device to overcome administrative limitations and continuously verify the morality and public value of the recognized individual in the absence of regulations for post-management of recognition."
Following the Homeplus situation, the naming controversy surrounding the ‘Kim Byung-ju Library’ has spread. As criticism regarding MBK Partners Chairman Kim Byung-ju's responsibility for Homeplus’s application for corporate rehabilitation has grown, it has been pointed out that using Chairman Kim’s name for a public library is inappropriate.
In May of last year, the Homeplus branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Service Federation’s Mart Industry Union held a press conference in front of Seoul City Hall, stating, “The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s decision to name a public library after an individual under investigation for fraud is completely contrary to public interest and justice.” They urged, “Immediately withdraw the designation of the name Kim Byung-ju Library and choose a new name by reflecting the opinions of citizens.”
It is reported that not only labor unions but also local residents have raised issues with the name. A Seoul city official stated, “There have also been complaints filed by local residents regarding the library’s name.”
Chairman Kim Byung-ju Donated Half of the Library’s Construction Costs
The Kim Byung-ju Library, currently under construction in Bukgajwa-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, will be the city’s second municipal library, following the Seoul Metropolitan Library. It is the first municipal library in the northwestern region, and construction began in 2024 with a target completion date of May next year. It will be built with one basement level and five floors above ground, with a total floor area of 9,109㎡ (approx. 2,756 pyeong). According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s construction monitoring system, the current completion rate is 52.19%.
In 2021, Chairman Kim Byung-ju expressed his intent to donate after hearing about the city’s plan to build a municipal library. It is known that he expressed a desire to support the construction of a municipal library in Seodaemun-gu, where he lived before immigrating. Chairman Kim donated 30 billion won, which is approximately half of the total project cost of 67.5 billion won, as a library construction fund. The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Donation Review Committee deliberated and decided to name the library after the donor, resulting in the name ‘Kim Byung-ju Library.’
A Seoul city official explained, “Since the ordinance provided the grounds for donor recognition, we granted recognition by attaching the name through the Donation Review Committee’s deliberation.” At the time, Article 3 of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on the Recognition and Support of Donors defined recognition as "providing benefits such as presenting citations, letters of appreciation, or plaques in the Mayor’s name, or granting the donor’s name to buildings or spaces."
However, as the debate over Chairman Kim’s responsibility has spread since the Homeplus situation, the controversy over whether it is appropriate to maintain the donor’s name for a public library continues. While voices demanding the withdrawal of the name are growing louder, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has not yet decided whether to change it, stating that it will monitor the related situation.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated, “At this moment, nothing has been decided, including a name change,” and added, “We are closely monitoring various situations, including the court’s judgment regarding Homeplus’s rehabilitation process and the prosecution’s investigation into Chairman Kim Byung-ju, and are reviewing it comprehensively.”
In particular, the Seoul Metropolitan Government appears to be paying close attention to the court’s decision regarding the Homeplus rehabilitation process, which is scheduled for July 20. Since the court’s judgment could affect the responsibility battle over the Homeplus situation and public opinion regarding Chairman Kim, it is expected to be a significant variable in the future process of reviewing the naming issue.
However, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s position is that a decision to terminate the rehabilitation process does not immediately lead to a change in the library’s name. A city official said, “We will make a judgment after comprehensively examining the situation following the court’s decision and the progress of the prosecution’s investigation.”