“This is essentially creating a new legal framework, yet many are unaware of it. No one knows about this amendment.”
The proposed overhaul of the Arts Promotion Law by the government has sparked significant backlash from the cultural and arts community. Despite its potential to greatly impact the sector, the initiative has proceeded without discussions with artists. Critics argue that the policy direction, which treats art as an 'industry,' could stifle basic arts.
Hajang-ho, a policy committee member of the Cultural Solidarity, pointed out at a recent emergency forum titled 'We Must Open the Path for Art' held in Seoul, “Given the importance of the issue, the proposed amendment to the Arts Promotion Law has not been sufficiently publicized.”
He acknowledged that the need for reform has long been raised within the arts community but emphasized, “It is crucial to understand what this amendment is for and who is following what procedures to implement it, as this is a significant issue in the new cultural policy paradigm.”
Participants at the forum highlighted the government's lack of communication. Writer Jeong Yoon-hee stated, “When I asked artists involved in arts policy governance about this amendment, they all said they were unaware of it. Even institutions under the Ministry of Culture were not informed. They said they would have to wait until directives come from above.” She added, “Policies are being developed unilaterally and we are left in the dark.”
Kim Dae-hyun, a literary critic and member of the Korea Arts Council, noted, “There has been no public consultation or hearings. No one on the ground is aware of this.” He expressed concern about whether institutions directly governed by the law have been adequately consulted, stating, “A major policy shift should proceed based on consensus from the field. Even if this law passes, who will support it?”
Another contentious issue is the focus on the 'arts industry.' The arts community fears that arts policy may be restructured around marketability and industrial competitiveness. Lee Hoon-gyeong, vice president of the Korea Theater Association, warned, “We must not evaluate culture and arts solely through the lens of efficiency and market logic. Policies should not funnel budgets only into high-market content and distribution. The amendment must not lead to a regression of basic arts disguised as industrial promotion.”
Yeom Sin-kyu, director of the Korea Cultural Policy Institute, stated, “Market formation and overseas expansion should not be led by the public. The public sector should focus on building the infrastructure that the private sector cannot manage, such as data collection.”
The restructuring of institutions under the amendment is also a point of contention. Kim Dae-hyun mentioned proposals to rename the Korea Arts Council to the 'Korea Arts Commission' and to convert the Arts Management Support Center into a statutory body called the 'Korea Arts Industry Promotion Agency.' He noted that the amendment includes provisions to establish new uses for the Arts Promotion Fund, such as enhancing the competitiveness of the arts industry and providing loans. “Serious matters requiring separate policy review are being addressed within a single amendment to the promotion law,” he said.
He specifically expressed concern over the potential weakening of the Korea Arts Council's status. “The role of the committee, which is a consensus-based body involving the arts community, will clearly be diminished through this amendment,” he said. If the committee handles creation support while the new agency takes charge of distribution and international exchange, it could disrupt the continuity of policies from creation to distribution and overseas expansion.
He concluded, “The value chain of creation, distribution, and international exchange cannot be artificially separated. If the committee's research functions are also separated, it will have to rely on the promotion agency, which operates under industrial logic, to support the policies it designs.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.