Digital cultural content maker to be set up in first half

A special firm to develop digital cultural contents will be set up during the first half of this year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Wednesday.

Briefing President Kim Dae-Jung on its programs for the year, the ministry said it would found Korea Museum to take charge of creating a digital database of traditional cultural assets and handle planning, development, investment and marketing of cultural contents.

The projected firm will receive a total of 100 billion won in public funds and is expected to attract another 100 billion won from private companies in the communication, broadcasting, computer and Internet fields. It will be launched as a corporation and gradually increase its capital, the ministry said.

Korea Museum initially plans to entrust 200 to 300 small- and medium-sized venture firms with the responsibility of creating a database of properties owned by museums and galleries, as well as traditional cultural assets such as folklore and intangible cultural properties.

The ministry also plans to form a complex for cultural contents production and distribution with 10 separate branches nationwide.

They include Kwangju (image games, animation), Taejon (game characters), Suwon (games), Chunchon (animation games), Kwangmyung (music), Puchon (comics, animation, characters), Chongju (Internet, industrial art) and Kimhae (ceramic art).

Minister of Culture and Tourism Kim Han-Gill said the government would cultivate the cultural contents industry as the core industry of the knowledge-based economy as soon as it secures suitable contents.