Culture Minister Yu In-chon speaks during a press briefing at Government Complex Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Minister Yu vows to expand overseas Korean Cultural Centers, strengthen content industry
By Lee Gyu-lee
The culture ministry unveiled its 10-year road map, "Cultural Korea 2035," aiming to innovate Korea’s content, tourism and sports industries while strengthening its cultural influences worldwide.
“Nowadays, we’re facing many challenges to address, like rural areas facing extinction, cultural disparities between regions, population crisis from low birthrates and super-aged society and the revolutionary artificial intelligence (AI) … Over the past year, through meetings and forums with experts, we’ve discussed the changes our society will face and their impact and challenges in the culture, sports and tourism sectors,” Culture Minister Yu In-chon said during a press briefing at Government Complex Seoul on Thursday.
“We aim to open the future of 'Cultural Korea,' where cultural values of creativity and innovation, diversity and inclusion, openness and convergence spread beyond ideals to social and economic as well as regional and global context.”
In the content industry, the ministry will pursue four mega-projects — establishing a K-content cultural district, a national film museum, a pop culture and art hall of fame and an esports complex — and expand three major funds in the content industry while working with related institutions to promote K-content to drive exports of consumer goods such as beauty and fashion.
The agenda also involves integrating legislation to cover all film, streaming services and other media services, providing aids for innovative areas like AI-utilized games and expanding K-book exports.
The ministry also shared it will expand and enhance Korean Cultural Centers overseas to upgrade their roles in promoting Korean culture and assisting cultural exchanges.
The 42 Korean Cultural Centers across 34 countries will serve as multipurpose cultural spaces that also support K-culture and related industries, in addition to solely promoting Korean culture.
Additionally, to enhance the expertise and accountability of the centers' directors, the ministry will introduce stricter selection and evaluation processes, along with an improved training system.
Korea Centers, which encompass a broader network including overseas branches of the ministry's affiliates, such as the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Creative Content Agency, currently operate in six locations, including Los Angeles and New York. Plans are in place to expand these centers to additional regions, such as Mexico and Vietnam, by 2035.
The ministry, in collaboration with Korean Cultural Centers and domestic institutions, will scout exceptional talents to be assigned to the centers. It will also offer fellowships and partner with both domestic and foreign universities to create more internship opportunities.
The ultimate goal is to nurture more professionals to enter renowned culture, sports and tourism-related international organizations such as UNESCO, the OCED, the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization.
The culture ministry will also strengthen inter-Korean cultural exchanges, which have waned in recent years due to political tensions. The ministry will develop strategic and phased approaches, beginning with collecting and archiving past cooperation projects between the two Koreas regarding performance, exhibition, sports and tourism fields.
Relocation of national arts companies causes stir
The 10-year agenda also includes relocating national arts companies and institutions that are mostly centralized in Seoul to help revitalize arts ecosystems across the country.
“As our first initiative, we plan to relocate national arts organizations to different regions. And since we're not rushing this implementation, we'll begin this year by establishing four national youth arts groups across the country,” First Vice Culture Minister Yong Ho-seong said during the briefing.
The ministry will also relocate the Seoul Performing Arts Company (SPAC) to the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, about 357 kilometers south of Seoul, and aims to support the organization to engage with other national organizations throughout Asia.
“As the third step, we will gradually relocate other national arts organizations to different parts of Korea, considering the environments and demands of each region,” Yong said.
Regarding concerns over the relocation plan meeting backlash from the artists and staffs from the organizations in question, Yu emphasized its importance to help balance the arts ecosystem throughout the country.
“It might be uncomfortable for the first few years to get settled and create something new (after relocation). It is certainly difficult. However, for the greater cause from a national perspective, we've talked much about balancing cultural and regional development, but very little has actually been accomplished,” Yu said.
“Even this one issue of relocating SPAC to Gwangju is creating a tremendous wave in the region. (Gwangju) is eagerly awaiting this change … With national funding supporting their livelihoods, I believe artists can overcome the initial year or two for adjustment and thrive in a new location.”
The ministry acknowledged that if the SPAC leaves Seoul, it may require a name change, although added that no decisions have been made.
English (United States) ·