Seoul: The culture ministry announced on Thursday its plan to relocate national arts organizations from Seoul to regional areas as part of an effort to bridge the cultural divide and expand creative infrastructure across South Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this initiative is a component of "culture Korea 2035," a mid-to-long-term vision aimed at enhancing South Korea's status as a global cultural hub. The plan includes strategies for addressing challenges such as transformations driven by artificial intelligence, economic uncertainties, and demographic changes.
The ministry intends to establish four national youth arts groups this year and relocate the Seoul Arts Center to the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju by next year. This move is part of a broader effort to develop regional cultural hubs by expanding branch museums of national art institutions and setting up regional branches of the National Gugak Center, which focuses on traditional Korean music.
The government plans to gradually relocate more national arts organizations out of Seoul, aiming to foster collaboration between these institutions and local artists. The initiative also includes plans for joint curriculum development and hands-on training programs between arts organizations and local colleges.
In addition to the arts sector, the ministry aims to implement cultural policies addressing demographic trends such as a declining birthrate, an aging population, and growing multiculturalism. The government intends to expand multipurpose cultural facilities and develop policies to enhance public access to arts, sports, and tourism across various age groups.
The ministry also plans to address the rapid evolution of AI by revising copyright laws to better protect intellectual property and creators' rights. A "publicity rights act" will be introduced to safeguard individuals' rights over their images, names, and voices, in response to concerns about deepfake technology and AI-generated content.
To enhance South Korea's global cultural presence, the government will expand the role of overseas Korean Cultural Centers, transforming them into multifunctional hubs that also support businesses related to Korean cultural content.
Culture Minister Yu In-chon emphasized the importance of addressing challenges such as regional disparities, demographic shifts, and AI-driven transformations, stating, "The key is to determine what we must do now to build a future where cultural values of 'creativity and innovation,' 'diversity and inclusion,' as well as 'openness and integration' extend beyond individuals to society, the economy, and the world." Yu also highlighted the government's commitment to working closely with cultural communities and other government agencies to effectively implement the initiative.