Chung Myung-whun, appointed music director of the KBS Symphony Orchestra through 2028, said his priority would be to care for and support musicians rather than pursue grand projects.

Speaking at a press conference in Seoul on Friday, Chung said he wanted to help performers rediscover their love for orchestral music through mutual trust and respect between conductor and orchestra.

He returns to the KBS Symphony Orchestra for the first time in 28 years, having previously served as its fifth chief conductor, citing a lasting sense of responsibility to his home country.

Chung will hold the KBS post alongside his upcoming role as music director of Italy’s La Scala, describing the dual appointment as a more personal and less burdensome phase of his career.

As the orchestra marks its 70th anniversary next year, Chung plans to strengthen core repertoire, expanding from Brahms to Mahler and staging a concert version of Bizet’s "Carmen".

The KBS Symphony Orchestra also said it would broaden public outreach through community concerts and international collaborations, reinforcing its role as a public broadcaster’s orchestra.