Stream Classics to Latest K-Movies & Shows at OnDemandKorea

Government to Actively Support `Hallyu'

By Lee Yong-sung
Staff Reporter

The government unveiled its plan to support and maintain the popularity of Korean pop culture abroad, known as the "Hallyu (Korean Wave)" phenomenon.

At a cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan on Tuesday, government officials agreed that strengthening the cultural contents industry was necessary and came up with a detailed plan, including opening a graduate school dedicated to cultural contents research.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the popularity of Korean pop culture has influenced other industries as shown by the recent increase in sales of Korean electronic commodities' in China. Samsung and LG have seen about a 40 percent increase in sales there last year.

However, the cultural contents industry, a major source of Hallyu, faces hardships because of the lack of systematic market research as well as creative power, the ministry said in a report on Tuesday.

The graduate school will provide specialized programs in culture technology (CT) within this year in association with existing colleges. The government will also run a Cultural Industry Academy program to develop skills and expertise on the exportation of cultural contents.

The discussion also covered establishing an online database of Hallyu stars to create more demand for them. The Hallyu Portal Information Center will be opened under the supervision of the Korea Foundation for Asian Culture Exchange (KOFACE), which will be financed by culture and tourism funds.

As anti-Korean sentiment has recently been sensed in the countries where Hallyu has been most conspicuous, the government will build a network with China, Japan and other Asian countries to make cultural exchanges among the countries multilateral rather than one-sided.

Additionally, the government will activate a committee, which will be joined by related ministries, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance and Economy, to support the phenomenon. The role of the Advisory Committee to Support Hallyu, a private organization to add objectiveness to the government's Hallyu-related policies, will consequently be strengthened.

"Hallyu started from private sectors, so government policies might not be well received," Kwak Young-jin, cultural industry director of the culture and tourism ministry, told news reporters on Tuesday. "The plans are to facilitate the efforts of private organizations. The government will focus on enhancing cultural exchanges with other Asian countries."

Advertisement

❎ Try Ad-free