Former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, now chairman and CEO of the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA), said Wednesday Korea's dominance in the Internet sector will increase cooperation between content industries of the two countries in the future as players in the U.S. seek ways to deliver more of their products online.
"In recent years, Korea has become the most wired nation in the world. That has led to an explosion of other online businesses, employment and IT jobs, and the creation and manufacturing of countless mobile devices," Dodd said during a meeting hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Korea.
He also said the rapid spread of Korean pop culture and YouTube sensation Psy's rise to global stardom with the video for "Gangnam Style" are in part due to the nation's dominance in the technology sector.
In addition, the partnerships between South Korea's IPTV service providers and Hollywood studios such as Warner Bros. and Walt Disney made it possible for local viewers to see Hollywood hits like "The Dark Knight Rises" and popular U.S. TV shows like "Desperate Housewives" "whenever and wherever they want," he said.
"This development and so many others are making this an exciting time for our two industries and our content industries in the United States and Korea to find new ways of delivering our products to audiences all over the world."
Co-production in filmmaking will also rise in the coming years because of not just economic but many other benefits, he said.
"These partnerships allow filmmakers to share their creative ideas and works with one another, our governments to develop closer economies and cultural ties and audiences to have a wider array of entertainment options to choose."
The Hollywood lobbyist, however, called for more efforts by the South Korean government and people to respect copyright and intellectual property.
"No nation can survive ... if they refuses to protect the innovations and creativity of its people," he stressed.
Dodd served as a legislator from Connecticut for more than 36 years -- six years in the House of Representatives and thirty years in the U.S. Senate. He was appointed in March 2011 as chairman and CEO of the MPAA, which serves as the voice and advocate of the U.S. motion picture, home video and television industries around the world. (Yonhap)
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