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| (National Ballet) |
The National Ballet is paying attention to the background of the National Ballet’s super-strong dismissal for the full-time employee who caused controversy while traveling to Japan during self-isolation.
According to the National Ballet on the 17th, the ballet team held a disciplinary committee the day before and decided to dismiss Mr. Na Mo, 28, who had been traveling abroad, and notified him of this. Na has not responded to this.
According to the internal regulations of the National Ballet, there are three cases in which a member can be dismissed, such as’unauthorized absence for more than a week’,’in case of intentional or negligent property damage’, and’in case of serious harm to the status of the ballet’.
Due to relatively strict regulations, the National Ballet has never fired a member of Jeong Dan since its foundation in 1962. However, the disciplinary committee, which included artistic director Kang Soo-jin and secretary general Kwon Young-seop, made a super strong call of dismissal. This is because Na’s actions were judged to have seriously harmed the status of the ballet team.
When the news about Na, who actually traveled abroad during self-quarantine period, became known, the National Ballet was faced with a crossfire in public opinion. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the top organization of the National Ballet, was also in an embarrassing situation. This is because a member of the National Ballet, which is operated by receiving taxes, has made a deviation from the situation where the government’s burden is increasing due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19).
In particular, it is known that the artistic director Kang Su-jin did the same for the members’ deviation. It is said that the disappointment was greater because they believed in the members and took relatively generous measures toward outside activities. In fact, some of the members appeared on TV programs, and they were freely proceeding with permission from outside special lectures. In addition, there was a member who continued to promote internet shopping malls.
In fact, there has been constant concern that the discipline of the members has become weaker inside and outside the ballet. This is because director Kang Soo-jin, who had a long life abroad compared to his predecessor, Choi Tae-ji, gave the members more freedom. It is reported that director Kang recently met with an official in the performing arts industry and said,’I felt a severe betrayal.’
The ballet’s dismissal action is expected to help improve the image of the company. However, some point out that it is too much to be fired just because they traveled abroad during the self-isolation period based on internal judgment, which is not an official government action.
An official in the dance world said, “I got fired because of the social atmosphere, but I think it is a little too much to fire Dan-won Jeong.”
If it becomes a lawsuit, it is likely to be a difficult fight for a ballet company. This is because the courts have recently placed strict standards on dismissal. In fact, the decision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to dismiss the National Opera Director Yoon Ho-geun was recently stipulated by the court as “abuse of discretionary power.” Director Yoon filed a lawsuit after being dismissed in May last year for selecting Mr. A, who did not meet the qualification requirements, as the performance planning team leader. On the 6th, the dismissal was canceled by the court of first instance.
If Na does not agree with the disciplinary committee’s decision, there is a possibility of taking legal action. According to the Labor Standards Act, workers can apply for relief to the Labor Commission, and the request for relief must be made within three months from the date of dismissal. ()
