Miss Grand Korea(미스그랜드코리아) Organizing Committee(hereinafter referred to as MGK Org.), who hosted Miss Grand Korea & DMZ World Peace Ambassador Pageant since 2016, informed that they neither send delegates to Miss Grand International 2020 nor continue to hold MGI Miss Grand International license.
Regarding the reason for not extending the license agreement with MGI Miss Grand International Organization, Lee Moon-yeol, co-president of the member of MGK Org. said, "Venezuela is a country where red travel warnings (withdrawal recommendations) have been issued, and dispatching our delegate to Venezuela for Miss Grand International 2020 in this health-threatening situation seems like not a good decision."
MGK Org. dispatched Korean delegate to MGI Miss Grand International in 2017 and 2018. MGI Miss Grand International 2020 was held in Venezuela, where a red travel warning (withdrawal recommendation) was issued, and due to the safety reason, MGK Org. did not dispatch the delegate. At the time, MGK Org. sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking whether it was possible to participate in the competition, and was replied to 'Recommend to refrain from visiting Venezuela.' This year, 2020, all regions of Venezuela, including the capital, Caracas, are still red travel alerts(withdrawal recommendation). As the venue for MGI Miss Grand International 2020 is selected as Venezuela again, MGK Org. did not extend the license agreement with MGI Miss Grand International Organization.
The new MGI Miss Grand International license holder is a completely different organizer from MGK Org., who hosted Miss Grand Korea Pageant for four years.
Miss Grand Korea is a unique domestic beauty pageant brand selecting DMZ World Peace Ambassador since 2017, and they hosted more than 17 contests, including regional and final competition since 2016. In 2017 and 2018, they sent their delegate to a pageant called Miss Grand International. In 2019, Korean participants were dispatched to an international pageant called Miss Global and Global Asian Model Competition by MGK Org. and served as a peace ambassador related to the DMZ.
MGK Org. is planning to hold Miss Grand Korea 2020 after the fall in consideration of the current situation of Corona 19. The selected delegate will be representing Korea by participating in international pageants, such as Miss Global, that is going to be held in Bali, Indonesia, in January next year, including other pageants. MGK Org. will provide the representative of Korea a full accommodation, airfare, traditional Korean costume, as well as evening gowns from ANAZ, one of the best evening gown designers in the world.
Lee Moon-yeol, co-president of the member of MGK Org. said, "Miss Grand International is only one of the international beauty competition that MGK Org. used to send the delegate. Miss Grand Korea is neither subordinate organizations nor subconcept of Miss Grand International. Miss Grand Korea is our unique domestic brand. We have been carrying out various activities in Korea and overseas in the name of DMZ World Peace Ambassador with the community called Halam Gathering."
He also added, "The ongoing legal dispute with Company P, related to the Disposal of Prohibited Use of The Name, Miss Grand Korea, will soon be judged by the court. I hope that the participants will not be confused with the existing Miss Grand Korea Pageant and Company P's contest."
On 19th, MGK Org. submitted "Application for Disposal of Prohibited Use of Similar Names" to prohibit the use of the name, Miss Grand Korea, against Company P. A lawsuit against Company P for the copyright infringement, portrait infringement, and the theft photos and videos will also be conducted.
