[OSENWORLD] South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has made it clear why he chose J.Y. Park, founder of JYP Entertainment and one of K-pop’s most influential figures, as co-chair of the newly launched Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange: to harness Korea’s cultural power as a driver of industry and global influence.
At a press conference on September 11 marking his first 100 days in office, President Lee emphasized that culture sits at the core of his administration’s economic policy. “One of the strengths Korea has is its cultural capacity,” he said. “It has even been recorded in ancient Chinese history. Today, K-culture is recognized worldwide — not just in pop music, dramas, and film, but also in beauty and food. The next step is to develop that cultural power into an industry that provides livelihoods.”
President Lee continued, “Expanding into the global market is a separate challenge. Industrializing culture and taking it global will be the focus of this new committee, while support for fine arts and creative activities will be handled by other institutions. I expect significant results.” He called J.Y. Park “an outstanding planner” who can lead that effort.
The Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange, established on September 9, will operate independently from existing cultural bodies such as the Arts Council Korea. It will be co-chaired by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young and J.Y. Park, reflecting the government’s intent to combine cultural policy with industry expertise.
In response to his appointment, J.Y. Park acknowledged the weight of the responsibility in a social media post. “For someone in the entertainment industry, taking on government work feels both burdensome and worrisome. But K-pop is facing a very special opportunity, and I felt it was important to seize it,” he wrote.
He added, “I will identify the areas where institutional support is most needed and ensure it is effective. My goal is for younger artists to gain more opportunities and for K-pop to take another leap forward, becoming a platform for deeper understanding and exchange.”
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
Courtesy of OSEN
