Opponents Vow "Fight to the End" on Film Quotas
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US Trade Representative Rob Portman welcomed the Korean government's decision to reduce the screen quota on Thursday.
"The decision by Korea to liberalize its restrictions on foreign films is good news for both Korean movie-goers and the US film industry", Portman said. He also said the quota had "placed US movies at a significant disadvantage" for a long time and that its easing would "help level the playing field and increase movie choices for Koreans.
Meanwhile, the Coalition for Cultural Diversity in Moving Images representing supporters of the quota said "the decision, giving in to arrogant US trade pressure... is an anti-cultural coup d'etat in itself" and went on to vow that the coalition will strive to save the quota till the bitter end using any and all means available. Its members demanded that the US stop applying trade pressure immediately and that the government scrap its decision to halve the screen quota, as well as calling for the resignation of the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Culture and Finance. They also proposed to have a meeting with President Roh and hold public discussions regarding the issue.
"I feel as if someone is tearing me in half", Ahn Sung-ki, a leading actor and co-representative of the coalition said after hearing the news. "Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan and New Zealand provide us with good examples of just how the Korean film industry will too be demolished without the protective measures to curb the monopoly of Hollywood movies", he insisted.
"The decision by Korea to liberalize its restrictions on foreign films is good news for both Korean movie-goers and the US film industry", Portman said. He also said the quota had "placed US movies at a significant disadvantage" for a long time and that its easing would "help level the playing field and increase movie choices for Koreans.
Meanwhile, the Coalition for Cultural Diversity in Moving Images representing supporters of the quota said "the decision, giving in to arrogant US trade pressure... is an anti-cultural coup d'etat in itself" and went on to vow that the coalition will strive to save the quota till the bitter end using any and all means available. Its members demanded that the US stop applying trade pressure immediately and that the government scrap its decision to halve the screen quota, as well as calling for the resignation of the ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Culture and Finance. They also proposed to have a meeting with President Roh and hold public discussions regarding the issue.
"I feel as if someone is tearing me in half", Ahn Sung-ki, a leading actor and co-representative of the coalition said after hearing the news. "Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan and New Zealand provide us with good examples of just how the Korean film industry will too be demolished without the protective measures to curb the monopoly of Hollywood movies", he insisted.
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