The wife of maestro Chung Myung-whun has been booked on defamation charges in a case that led to the resignation of the head of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, police said Sunday.
Chung’s wife, 67, identified by her family name Koo, is suspected of ordering Chung’s secretary to write and spread an anonymous letter that Park Hyun-jung, then the chief of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, sexually and verbally harassed orchestra members, police said.
Last December, 10 members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra filed a complaint with police against Park over alleged sexual harassment and verbal abuse.
Park quit her job in late December last year. But in August, she was cleared of the charges due to lack of evidence.
Last month, the 10 members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Chung’s secretary were booked on defamation charges against Park.
Police said they hope that Chung’s wife will turn herself in to police for questioning.
Chung’s wife is believed to have been staying in a foreign country since December last year.
Repeated calls to Chung’s office seeking comment went unanswered on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the board of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra plans to hold a meeting on Monday to decide whether or not to extend its contract with Chung as the orchestra’s music director by one more year. (Yonhap)
