Former South Korean Ministers Unveil Key to K-Culture Success

K-Culture Success: Key Factors from Former South Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports Ministers

In a gathering of 10 former South Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports ministers, Minister Yu In-chon expressed gratitude for their dedication and insights, attributing the global love and interest in K-Culture to their hard work and commitment. The event, titled “Former Ministry of Culture and Sports Ministers Meeting,” took place in a restaurant near the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

The attendees included former ministers such as Lee Min-seop, Kim Young-soo, Shin Nak-kyun, Namgoong Jin, Kim Sung-jae, Kim Jong-min, Jung Byung-guk, Choi Kwang-sik, Park Yang-woo, and Hwang Hee. This gathering marked the first time in seven years that former ministers of the ministry had come together.

Minister Yu highlighted the significant role of K-Culture in enhancing South Korea’s national competitiveness, stating that K-Culture has become a new force beyond the realm of culture that is loved worldwide. He expressed deep gratitude to the former ministers for their contributions to the realization of this achievement, which encompassed various fields such as drama, film, classical music, and gaming.

The former ministers shared their experiences, including the formulation of cultural policies with a vision of “culture accessible to the people” during the era of a small government in the 1990s. They also discussed the establishment of crucial cultural institutions like the Korea Creative Content Agency in the early 2000s. Additionally, they mentioned their involvement in supporting the first K-pop concert in Paris in 2011 and the expansion of the Sejong Institute.

During the gathering, there was special mention of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, the venue for the luncheon. Lee Min-seop and others expressed their awe at the challenges faced during the construction of the museum, from planning to its opening, after relocating the Military Security Command in the 1990s.

The ministers also exchanged views on future cultural and arts policies, considering the rapid environmental changes caused by low birth rates, an aging population, global online video services (OTT), and artificial intelligence (AI). They extensively discussed recent transformations in the cultural and artistic scene, as well as policies related to leisure tourism trends, population decline in certain regions, and the promotion of recreational sports.

Minister Yu expressed his appreciation for the diverse opinions shared by the former ministers during the gathering. He emphasized that their valuable insights, based on their rich experiences, would contribute to the continuous innovation and transformation of South Korea’s cultural and artistic sector. He pledged to actively incorporate their opinions into future policies.

Source: NNS