President Lee Jae Myung announced on Wednesday that the South Korean government will collaborate with the entertainment industry through a newly established committee aimed at promoting cultural exchanges and developing the sector into a globally competitive force. The president made these remarks during the official launch ceremony of the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, which took place at KINTEX in Goyang, located north of Seoul.
The committee will be co-chaired by two prominent figures: Park Jin-young, the founder and chief producer of K-pop entertainment giant JYP Entertainment, and Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young. This leadership structure reflects the government's commitment to bridging the gap between public policy and private industry expertise in the cultural sector.
During his speech, President Lee traced the evolution of Korean cultural influence, known as Hallyu or the Korean Wave, from its early origins in television dramas to its current global reach. He characterized the present era of instantaneous worldwide cultural exchange as "Hallyu 4.0," representing the latest phase in Korea's cultural expansion.
"Through music, film, games, webtoons, K-culture has developed into a powerful medium not just for ourselves, but for people everywhere to communicate and connect," President Lee stated. He emphasized a key principle of Korean cultural success, declaring that "What is most Korean is also the most global."
The launch ceremony drew attendance from top executives representing Korea's most influential entertainment companies. Leaders from major K-pop powerhouses including SM Entertainment, Hybe, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment participated in the event. Additionally, representatives from entertainment conglomerate CJ ENM were present, along with senior executives from gaming giants NCSoft and Nexon Korea, as well as digital content platform Naver Webtoon.
President Lee expressed his vision for enhanced cooperation between government and industry through this new committee framework. He emphasized the importance of expanding cultural exchanges, strengthening international partnerships, and developing related industries to support Korea's cultural sector growth.
"Our government will work to ensure that Korean popular culture goes beyond bringing joy, inspiration and empathy to global audiences, and becomes a core industry of the Korean economy," the president declared. This statement underscores the administration's recognition of cultural exports as a significant economic driver for the nation's future prosperity.
