The Culture and Tourism Ministry to Establish Network Channel Dedicated to Outsourced Productions

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism decided to support 10,000 “Asian Cultural Partners” by investing one percent of the culture and tourism budget until 2015 in order to establish Korea as a hub of Asian culture.

In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will designate a new two-million- to 30-million-pyeong futuristic tourist city in the southwest coastal region in the latter half of the year.

The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chung Dong-chae, reported the above-mentioned plan for this year to President Roh Moo-hyun at Cheong Wa Dae on the afternoon of March 24.

Minister Chung said that his ministry would form a partnership with people from the press, culture, arts, and religious communities of various countries for cooperation in the field of culture.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will invite approximately 250 people from four or five countries and provide them with an opportunity to undergo Korean cultural training or to create a joint work.

Minister Chung also announced that the ministry would promote in earnest the establishment of a network broadcasting company dedicated exclusively to transmitting programs produced by outside contractors. The channel will broadcast programs about culture, art, and the minorities.

Minister Chung added that the ministry would abolish the promotion fund for the improvement of the cultural industry and would form a one-trillion-won cultural industry fund using government subsidies and private investments by 2010.

Regarding a futuristic tourist city, Minister Chung stated that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism would build three to four cities equipped with residential, recreational, tourist, sports, leisure, educational, and medical functions in the southwest coastal district by 2010 and that the ministry would take specific steps by appointing a trial area by June for its first commitment.

Minister Chung explained that about six trillion won would be put into a three-million-pyeong tourist and leisure city, but that the investment would generate 12 trillion won in productivity as well as 130,000 new jobs.

Hwa-Sung Kim Yeub Heo mars@donga.com heo@donga.com