Screen Quota Reduction Issue Back on the Boil
The debate over the 'screen quota', an obligation to show Korean films on certain days, has again become a hot issue in Chungmuro, the 'Korean Hollywood'.Korean moviemen have been angered by reports that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is considering the gradual reduction of the screen quota as part of early agreements in the recently-announced bilateral investment treaty talks between Korea and the U.S.
According to the Ministry's compromise plan, the screen quota will be gradually reduced from the year 2002, after sustaining it at existing levels up to 2001.
This is a return to a policy adopted by the government in former negotiations between the two countries, marking a change in stance from a recent avowal to maintain the current quota.
The film producers convened on June 14 for an 'Emergency Committee in Defense of the Screen Quota' and agreed to fight fiercely for the preservation of the screen quota. The committee urged that 'the government has backed down on a promise to keep the quota and re-investigate the reduction after 2002. The government is secretly dealing with the U.S. without regard for movie- makers.'
The committee will hold a rally against the quota reduction on June 18. The Korean Film Commission said it will support the committee's activity.
Jooan Kang : jooan@joongang.co.kr
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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