Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
New culture minister vows 'kimchi diplomacy'
Culture Minister Hwang Hee speaks during a press conference at the Central Government Complex, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Minister Hwang Hee met athletes over bullying scandals to search for solutions
By Kwak Yeon-soo
New Culture Minister Hwang Hee said Thursday that he would step up efforts to promote Korea's cultural heritage and traditional cuisine ― such as hanbok, pansori and kimchi ― overseas as part of cultural diplomacy, amid the ongoing cultural feud between Korea and China.
Hwang said, that some Chinese netizens' claims to kimchi and other Korean cultural assets, as part of Chinese culture reflect a growing international interest in Korean culture, noting the ministry will use the dispute as an opportunity to kick off an international campaign promoting Korea's staple dish and cultural heritage to prevent the recurrence of similar cases in the future.
“I think such disputes arise because of the increasing global interest in Korean culture. Chinese people have varied thoughts about kimchi and our world-class heritage, but they don't represent the Chinese government's official position,” he said during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday.
The new culture minister took the helm in the ministry a week ago, following a National Assembly confirmation hearing.
Hwang noted that China is an important trading partner for Korea, to emphasize that a possible diplomatic clash with Beijing would not be desirable.
“China is Korea's largest trading partner and 2021-2022 marks the 'Year of ROK-China Cultural Exchange.' The two governments are planning reciprocal visits of state leaders. We'd like this occasion to serve as an opportunity to show mutual respect to both cultures and promote our traditions.”
The year 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and China.
Answering questions from reporters, Hwang also said he took the bullying and abuse scandals that hit the sports scene seriously, adding that he has been visiting and meeting the players, trainers and coaches to hear their stories and come up with preventive measures.
Professional triathlon, volleyball, baseball and football leagues are reeling from allegations that some players physically, verbally and emotionally attacked their teammates in the past when they were teenagers.
“Yesterday, I talked with several victims of bullying in sports, and realized the gravity of the situation. The ministry will take the necessary action to prevent bullying in sports and improve the human rights of sports players,” Hwang said.
Kimchi / gettyimagesbank
As for the role of the government in hallyu or the Korean Wave, he said that K-pop's global success was possible because of the private sector's visionary strategy. Therefore, he added, the government will try to find roles that the private sector can't do, mentioning gugak and classical music as examples that need policy support from the government.
“The K-pop industry has been doing great. What the government can do is to launch K-pop festivals and awards ceremonies that can be likened to the Grammys and the Oscars to recognize the achievements of singers and hallyu stars,” he said.
Hwang also vowed to work closely with the Korea Communications Commission and the Ministry of Science and ICT to invigorate over-the-top (OTT) streaming media businesses.
“Broadcasters are required to serve the public interests and must comply with government rules. But OTT platforms are more commercially oriented. They enjoy unbridled freedom over their content,” he said.
The new culture minister remained optimistic about the future of the cinema, although movie ticket sales fell to historic lows in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
“I believe movie theaters will definitely survive in the future. I think going to the cinema and watching films on the big screen is still an attractive experience. In the end, face-to-face meetings are an essential part of business, while others like OTT services are secondary,” he said.
“Paradoxically, I'm relieved that movie theaters are operated by large corporations, because they have the financial resources to endure this difficult time.”