Gwangju City Ballet Company’s art director is drawing flak for allegedly asking a pregnant ballerina to quit.

The Gwangju Artists’ Labor Union claimed on Wednesday that the director had told the dancer to “think it through for a week,” effectively pressuring her to leave her job. 

The director has so far denied the allegations. He refuted the Union’s claims, by saying, “I have never told her to leave because she’s pregnant. She came to ask me to look after her as she is pregnant with her second child, so I merely wished her luck.”

The union is arguing that the comments showed the director lacked qualities for his position and that he should resign with a public apology.

A dancer in the company who wished to remain anonymous, however, said the director clearly abused his authority many times. “Crossing the director led to adverse placements or pressure to leave the company. Everyone is extra cautious around him,” the dancer said.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)