December 2008
Ministers Vow More Cultural Exchanges
Culture ministers of Korea, China and Japan agreed Thursday to boost cultural exchanges through various channels. more >
Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRCCN) of the Culturelink Network issues newsletter
Combined with the Asia-Pacific Regional Centre (APRCCN) website, the monthly e-newsletter is designed to help keep readers informed on news, events, research, and other developments in the field of cultural policy both within and beyond the Asia-Pacific region. more >
Arts Council chief dismissed
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism dismissed Kim Jeong-heon as chairman of Arts Council Korea after he violated rules concerning the council's promotional funds. more >
November 2008
South Korean gov invests in content
The South Korean government is to deliver its third stimulus package to local cultural industries, with the announcement that it will invest 410 billion won ($274 million) in what it calls ``killer content'' with international potential by 2013. more >
Nat’l Museum of Contemporary Art manager let go
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday that they were terminating the contract of the head of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Kim Yoon-su, due to violations of contract employment regulations. more >
Daegu gears up to lure visitors ahead of 2011
Daegu is busy grooming itself now 2011 has been designated “Visit Daegu Korea Year” by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
more >
Minister plans long-term blueprint to promote culture
Culture Minister Yu In-chon said he will formulate a long-term overseas promotional strategy to boost the global popularity of Korean culture. more >
October 2008
Culture Minister Offers Apology for Swearwords
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon apologized Sunday for swearing at photojournalists during the parliamentary audit at the National Assembly.
more >
Discounted Tickets for Teachers, Students
Unsold tickets to cultural events will be sold at discounted prices to students and teachers starting next year, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon said Thursday. more >
Culture hub plan losing money
The project aimed at transforming Gwangju into a hub of Asian culture is expected to yield a deficit of about 100 billion won a year, but the government has not taken any measures to prevent the loss, a lawmaker said Tuesday. more >
Bae Receives National Order of Culture Merit
Hallyu (Korean wave) star Bae Yong-joon has been given the Hwa-Gwan Order of Culture Merit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at an event celebrating the 2008 Culture Day. more >
Korea-Thailand Partnership for the Future Proclaimed in Music
A year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary reached its peak Wednesday when Korean and Thai cultural performances took place in both countries at the same local time. more >
September 2008
Renewed Web Site of the Asia-Pacific Regional Center of Culturelink
The newly revamped website features International Standard Setting Instruments, National Policies of Asia-Pacific Countries, Articles and Research Papers, Cultural Statistics, On-going Cultural Events and Projects and Web Links within and beyond the Asia-Pacific region. more >
Korea and New Zealand to sign film pact
South Korea and New Zealand will sign a film co-production treaty next week, 15 months after producers from both countries began the process. more >
Opinion: Arts Council Korea Chairman
At a session evaluating the first-term board members early last month, outsiders voiced sharp criticism of the council`s ideologically biased policy, pork-barrel appropriations and favoritism committed by the first-term council. more >
Minister Eyes Cultural Hub
The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced that the new administration will spur South Korea into a first-rate cultural hub by funding pan-regional projects among others. more >
June 2008
E-culture event to celebrate Korean IT culture
The Seoul e-culture festival, making its debut on July 7, aims to bring the usual offline activities of arts and other performances into the online scene to suggest a whole new way of experiencing of cultural activities. more >
Media organizations campaign to oust 3 ‘enemies of the press’
Three people - Choi Si-jung, the chairman of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission; Lee Dong-kwan, the presidential spokesperson; and Shin Jae-min, the vice minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism - have been criticized for leading a government attempt to control the media. more >
May 2008
Gov't declares first Together Day with expats
‘Together Day' on 20 May kicked off a week-long program of multicultural initiatives established by the government to promote understanding and social integration between people of different cultures living in Korea. more >
April 2008
Free museum entry starting from May
It's free entry for all state-run museums across the nation starting from May 1st to the end of this year, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. more >
March 2008
Korea forms lobby group for cultural industries
Ten Korean cultural organisations have formed a lobby group, the Korean Federation of Cultural Industries, to lobby the government and promote the cultural and creative industries of Korea. more >
Three Officials Step Down Under Pressure
Three heads of organizations under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry have tendered their resignations apparently under pressure from the government. more >
‘Left-Leaning’ Cultural Leaders Urged to Quit
The nation's top cultural policymaker urged left-leaning leaders of cultural organizations appointed under the Roh Moo-hyun administration to step down. more >
February 2008
North Korea Welcomes New York Philharmonic
The North Koreans opened the door to some 400 people, the largest contingent of Americans to visit this isolated, totalitarian state since the Korean War ended in 1953. The group includes musicians, orchestra staff, television production crews and 80 journalists, as well as patrons who paid $100,000 a couple. more >
January 2008
Seoul Advised to Become Culture-Friendly
Prominent economists and scholars have stressed the importance of 'culturenomics' at an international conference in Seoul. more >
Korean communication ministry shuttered
President-elect Lee Myung-bak has dissolved the Ministry of Information and Communication in a drive for leaner government. more >
Hub City of Asian Culture and Worldwide Correspondents’ Program of Culture Cities
The Hub City of Asian Culture Project aims to forge cultural ties with Asian countries and includes a culture cities correspondents program. more >
December 2006
S. Korean artists oppose talks with U.S. for free trade deal
Dozens of South Korean artists took to the streets Friday to oppose a free trade deal with the United States, adding their voice to protests just days before the trade talks were to resume. more >
November 2006
Korean cultural center to open in Hanoi
A Korean cultural center will open in in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi to become the first such facility in Southeast Asia this weekend, South Korea's cultural ministry has announced. more >
August 2006
Cultural Connections the Key to US-Korea Relations
South Korea and the United States should concentrate more on cultivating personal and institutional relations that would outlast any political tensions, an American cultural director has said. more >
June 2006
Internal Turmoil Over Festival Preparations Reveal Gov. Interference
South Korea's preparations for the 2006 ARCO art fair hit an obstacle last week after the director and 12 other organizers resigned claiming excessive government meddling. more >
May 2006
S Korea and China sign agreement
The South Korean Government has offered a hand of cooperation to China, with the cultural ministries agreeing to help protect copyrights on cultural products. more >
March 2006
S. Korean minister to promote arts to Asia
South Korea's new culture minister has stated that he will be promoting exchanges with Asia in order to boost the country's cultural image. He hopes to boost ties with Asian countries that have embraced Korean cultural products. more >
S. Korea to start cultural exchange project with Asian artists
South Korea will invite 150 cultural experts and artists from other Asian countries this year, the start of a 10-year program aimed at boosting cultural interaction in the region, the Culture and Tourism Ministry said Wednesday. more >
February 2006
Seoul to spend W7.6tr on cultural drive
Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to spend around 7.6 trillion won ($7 billion) on expanding cultural facilities over the next 10 years. more >
Culture Ministry to push exchanges with emerging markets
The Culture and Tourism Ministry said yesterday it will increase cultural exchanges with key emerging countries known as BRICs in a bid to strengthen the country's edge in the entertainment sector. more >
January 2006
S Korea trades film quota for US free trade
South Korea said today it would reduce by half its screen quota for domestically produced films in a move aimed at facilitating free trade talks with the United States. more >
Publishers claim book prices rose 4.5 percent last year
The price of books published in South Korea last year rose 4.5 percent from a year ago, statistics released by a local association of publishers showed Sunday. more >
November 2005
South Korea tests appeal of Korean culture at APEC
Accompanying the formal talks on regional issues, South Korea hosted several cultural programs alongside the Asia-Pacific forum in Busan in a bid to publicize what Koreans eat, read and appreciate -- and to learn what they can sell. more >
October 2005
Cultural Diversity Pact
The overwhelming yes for a UNESCO-backed convention to protect cultural diversity was little less than historic, culturally and economically. more >
July 2005
Kumho Head promises to continue supporting young cultural talents
Park Sam-koo, chairman and CEO of Kumho Asiana Group, knows he has big shoes to fill. Park is taking over as head of the Kumho Cultural Foundation from his late brother, Park Seong-yawng, a beloved figure in the local arts scene. more >
Experiencing world's museums in one day
The world's first comprehensive exposition of museums and culture - the 2005 World Museum Culture Expo - has set a landmark in the history of museums. more >
April 2005
Phase out the screen quota
Kang Chul-kyu, chairman of the Korean Fair Trade Commission, has announced that the government is considering phasing out the Korean film quota. This editorial calls for the Ministry of Culture to 'clarify its position on the screen quota, however belatedly, and then persuade those in the film industry, while presenting them with an industry-specific development plan.' more >
March 2005
Seoul to reach out to cultural leaders in Asia for partnership
South Korea is planning a budget to build a network of artists and cultural experts around Asia who will promote Korean culture in their home countries, officials said Thursday. more >
Cultural Heritage Chief to Visit Dokdo
South Korea's top cultural heritage policymaker will visit the Dokdo islets, officials said Friday. more >
January 2005
Seoul to Become Hub for Culture
As Seoul becomes increasingly vibrant on the cultural front, the government has come up with a series of plans to strengthen its cultural infrastructure. A huge performing arts complex dedicated to classical music and costing over 40 billion won will open on Nodulsom, an island in the Han River, by late 2007. more >
December 2004
Asia's first China cultural centre opens in Seoul
The world's fourth China cultural centre opened in South Korea Tuesday to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries. more >
October 2004
'Culture is key industry for next generation', say Korean officials
The Korea Culture and Contents Agency, a sub-organisation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, believes that the potential of the entertainment industry is so huge that it looks set to become a key industry of the next generation. more >
Vandalism threatens South Korea's cultural heritage
The destruction of ancient cultural heritage in war-ridden countries such as Iraq or Afghanistan is well documented. South Korea, however, is also facing such problems, with experts warning that decades of near-obsession with economic development have meant little protection for the country's irreplaceable relics. more >
Seoul pledges support for Iraq's cultural heritage restoration
South Korean Culture Minister Chung Dong-chae said on Friday the government would consider providing support for Iraq's project to restore its world-famous cultural assets damaged by the war. more >
August 2004
S Korea, Hong Kong to Sign Cultural Accord with Hong Kong
The South Korean government will conclude a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation with China's Hong Kong special administrative region, officials at the Foreign Ministry said Monday. more >
World Culture Open due in Seoul
This fall, amidst all the Olympic hype the world will once again be treated to another borderless global festival - the World Culture Open, a multi national non-profit, non-governmental organisation to promote the value of cultural diversity, more >
Cultural properties institute preserves sounds of yesterday
Back about 35 or 40 years ago during Korea's postwar recovery period when the nation was rushing toward modernisation and industrialisation, scholars of folklore and ethnology began to realise that the country was in danger or losing its traditional cultural heritage. more >
July 2004
Seoul hosts UNESCO International Forum
UNESCO and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO will hold an international forum entitled '21st Century Dialogues,' from tomorrow to Wednesday in Seoul, marking the 50th anniversary of the Korean commission's foundation. more >
Celebrating the Korean-American experience
Dr. Trina Nahm-Mijo, one of 38 contributors to a new book 'Yobo: Korean-American Writing in Hawaii', gave a short performance celebrating the 100th anniversary of Korean immigration to the United States this past weekend at Seoul Selection in Seoul. more >
June 2004
Two Koreas to jointly host int'l cultural event
South and North Korea will jointly host an international cultural forum in September to promote exchanges between North Korea and the rest of the world, officials said Sunday. more >
Film people meet over screen quota
Members of the South Korean film industry on Wednesday held what is sure to be the first of many emergency meetings to discuss response to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s decision to change the current quota system protecting domestic films. more >
Ministry announces blueprint for reviving creative arts
The government plans to spend about 1.7 trillion won (US$1.46 billion) by 2008 to revitalise cultural arts in South Korea, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Tuesday. more >
Cultural Exemption in FTA Urged
The Third International Meeting of Cultural Professional Organisations ended Friday in Seoul with participants reiterating their stance on the need to protect cultural products from international trade agreements. more >
NGOs tackle threats to cultural diversity
The third International Meeting of Cultural Professional Organisations kicked off its four-day run in western Seoul yesterday, tackling the issue of how to cope with threats to cultural diversity. more >
May 2004
Creating Art Hub Easier Said Than Done
With preparations under way to host the 2005 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting next fall and the upcoming Busan Film Festival, it is little wonder that Korea's biggest port city has pushed art to the sidelines. more >
April 2004
National Museum of Korea Moves
The National Museum of Korea, located inside the Gyeongbok Palace in downtown Seoul, is currently moving its artifacts to a new and permanent home. more >
September 2003
Art foundation reform sparks dispute
There has been much discussion in recent years about how to revamp the Korea Culture and Arts Foundation, making it more independent and professionally structured. The government's plan to change the organiaation into the tentatively named 'Culture and Arts Commission' is one such attempt. more >
Tendentiousness in the arts
The Korean government spared no effort in getting its man placed at the National Center for Traditional Korean Performing Arts, and went as far as to change the membership of the judging committee. more >
July 2003
Seoul seeks Hollywood's consent for trade pact
Culture policymakers are in talks with Hollywood filmmakers to separate the screen quota system from the issue of sealing a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) between Seoul and Washington. more >
June 2003
Culture minister firm about screen quota
Lee Chang-dong, the outspoken South Korean Minister of Culture and Tourism, denied numerous reports that the administration is seriously considering easing the screen quota system, which requires theatres to fill 40% of their schedule with domestic films. more >
March 2003
Filmmaker appointed as South Korea's Minister of Culture
South Korean film director Lee Chang-dong has been named Minister of Culture and Tourism in a surprise appointment by new Korean president Roh Moo-hyun. more >
December 2002
Museums for reconciliation and history
Two centrally located museums, the Museum of History and Museum of Art, have opened in Seoul. Within the art museum, a digital unit called Media City is seen as part of a massive government campaign to promote the country’s information technology. more >
November 2002
Eifman ballet to present acclaimed repertoire
Boris Eifman, one of the most successful choreographers working today, and his Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg will present their acclaimed creations 'Russian Hamlet,' 'The Karamazovs' and 'Don Quixote' in December at the LG Arts Center in Seoul. more >
October 2002
Cinema Service boosts investment in Korean film industry
South Korean major Cinema Service is to boost its investment in local film production amidst what appears to be an exodus of venture capital from the industry. more >
July 2002
Korea scores with film fans
South Korean producer and former chief of the Korean Film Commission's international business department Paul Yi says the relationship between his country's film and sport industries is complex. more >
Public support for Korea's cultural industry
The Korean government has considered culture technology a core technology for state development and, subsequently, published a comprehensive plan for developing skillful workers related to the culture industry. The results have been promising. more >
May 2002
Free trade regimes kill cultural diversity, says Canadian activist
The wider acceptance of comprehensive free trade regimes may have worked to advance economic benefits in many countries, but it is hardly a welcome sign to the growing number of advocates working to preserve cultural diversity throughout the world. more >
November 2008
The 9th International Joint World Cultural Tourism Conference 2008
The aim of this conference is to provide a forum for international educators, scholars, researchers, industry professionals, policy-makers and graduate students with opportunity to explore and discuss issues in the topics on culture, tourism business and management. more >
November 2007
8th International Joint World Cultural Tourism Conference 2007
The aim of this conference is to provide a forum for international educators, scholars, researchers, industry professionals, policy-makers and graduate students with opportunity to explore and discuss issues in the topics on cultural tourism promotion. more >
May 2007
November 2006
October 2006
October 2004
June 2008
Asia Arts Networks
Summer 2008 edition of the Korea Culture and Arts Journal contains a number of articles on IFACCA’s Asian chapter and other Asia arts networks. more >
May 2007
Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage: Key Factors in Implementing the 2003 Convention
Is the 2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention up to the task it has set for itself? more >
Turning vision into reality: Arts and culture education in Korea
An overview of arts and education policies in South Korea. more >
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >