The UNESCO agreement on cultural diversity was adopted in October of last year. The countries of the world rejoiced, for they had themselves footing from which to keep American cultural unilateralism in check. It was particularly a happy event for the culture industry, which had impressed international opinion with its staunch defense of the "screen quota" program.
The government announced Thursday that it in bilateral talks with the United States, it had agreed to reduce the screen quota by as much as 50 percent. In doing so it trampled on the public's trust and put a damper on the desire by people around the world to foster the growth of their respective national cultures, just three months since the adoption of the agreement on cultural diversity. Simultaneously it also dealt a serious wound to the cultural pride those in the culture industry have built up over time. The government arrived at its agreement with the U.S. in secret but then talked about its agreement with the industry. Its methods were sneaky and vulgar. It even humiliatingly accepted the U.S. demand for 73 days a year.
The reasons it states for reducing the quota was that a free trade agreement (FTA) needs to be signed with the U.S. because that is vital to the national interest, and that Korean film is plenty enough competitive. However, many claim that an FTA with the U.S. will not likely lead to actual foreign investment in Korea and a bigger market for Korean exports and that it will most probably destroy the country's agricultural production base. Korean films have sold more than 50 percent of all theater seats for the past four years, but reducing the quota could easily lead to psychological obstacles for producers, less investment, less production, and then a smaller share of the market for Korean film. The academic and film communities estimate that each reduction of 10 days will lead to W100 billion less in sales. In 1994 Mexico got rid of its screen quota while it signed an FTA with the U.S., and only three or four years later it was making 10 films a year instead of the 100 it had been producing prior to the agreement.
The government says it is going to announce measures to support the industry. But that means nothing, since the process was immoral and because the agreement abandoned our cultural pride and the trust of the international community. It looks like it would be more appropriate to work towards withdrawing from the agreement than promise support.
The Hankyoreh, 27 January 2006.
[Translations by Seoul Selection]
[Editorial] Screen Quota Reduction Abandoned Pride, Trust |
