Debate Over Short 3-Year Terms as Korea Seeks New Director for National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
Creatrip Team
25 days ago
South Korea has opened the search for a new director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) as current director Kim Seong-hee’s term ends in September. Several prominent candidates — including Ki Hye-gyeong, Shim Sang-yong, and Sun Seung-hye — are being discussed. The recruitment comes amid a wave of upcoming openings at public museums nationwide, from Arko Art Center to regional institutions in Daegu, Daejeon, and Jeonbuk. The art community warns that Korea’s short fixed-term system (typically three years, with a possible two-year extension) hampers long-term planning and governance; curators and directors often avoid applying for such short, politically vulnerable posts. Critics contrast this with institutions like New York’s MoMA, whose long-serving director helped build global stature, and call for stable terms and stronger autonomy to sustain Korea’s rising “K-Art” presence.
