Overseas Korean cultural center directors discuss hallyu promotion
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Korean Cultural Center directors discuss the promotion of Korean culture abroad at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, Tuesday. / Yonhap
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) is hosting a series of conferences for Korean Cultural Center (KCC) directors to discuss the promotion of Korean culture abroad from Tuesday through Friday.
At the meetings, 18 KCC directors and 11 officials from 24 countries are taking part in discussions to expand the reach of "hallyu," or Korean wave, and to strengthen cooperation between related organizations to publicize Korean contents. The meetings take place at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul and the National Library of Korea in Sejong City.
Craft works made of ‘hanji’ or traditional Korean paper are displayed at an exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo. / Courtesy of the Korean Culture and Information Service
On Tuesday, they discussed the newly-introduced national branding project. The KOCIS manages 28 KCCs and supervises 13 Culture and Information Officers as hubs for spreading Korean art and culture.
"Most of KCCs host Korean culture festivals as their main events. We are collecting ideas to diversify the major event of KCCs at these meetings. Some centers have come up with ideas to host a forum to expand hallyu," Kim Dong-wook, a KOCIS official in charge of KCCs, said. “It is important for each KCC to develop identity, based on regional characteristics. The directors will share ideas to promote the brand of KCC.”
From Tuesday through Friday, the directors and officers will meet with officials from 16 affiliated organizations such as Korea Creative Content Agency, Korea Tourism Organization, Arts Council Korea and Taekwondo Promotion Foundation to collaborate on promotion of Korean arts, sports and tourism.
Benchmark KCC projects will be presented Thursday.
"The KCCs are the outposts of spreading Korean culture overseas and this meeting will raise their competitiveness," the official said.