Republic of Korea 2018 report

1. It is largely focused on strengthening the competence and creativity of artists by ensuring a social system in which artists can engage in creative activities in stable living conditions and redress inequitable practices in the culture industry. It includes the programs to bring together artists and business firms to the end of providing job opportunities for the former; to offer grants for the low-income and elderly artists; to provide legal consultation on inequitable practices; to subsidize the artists’ payment for the industrial accidents compensation insurance; to protect artists’ rights under standard labor contracts; and operate the artists welfare foundation.
2. The operator of the project provides support for artists upon adopting the artist aid agenda jointly with the local cultural foundations and colleges, and holding a comprehensive consultation session on the agenda with the public, civic and academic organizations. 
3. The project supports expansion and operation of cultural facilities such as museums, art galleries, libraries, arts and cultural centers, and local cultural institutions. It also expands the opportunity to enjoy culture by assisting the operation of artist memorial halls; historical and cultural city programs; traditional culture promotion projects; local cultural events; Biennale, Build-Transfer-Lease projects; cultural facilities at local communities; and local culture promotion projects. Jeju Special Self-governing Province and Sejong City each have specialized programs to promote local culture.

The project implements arts and cultural education not only for students but also teachers and parents and operates the program in conjunction with the regular curriculum. It provides specialized programs to each school and establishes a network among the Art-Flower Seed Schools. It also helps the schools to make progress together with the local community by utilizing local resources. 
 
▪ The project is largely divided into seven sub-plans: ① operation of the state education and art experience programs for infants and children ② strengthening the gugak education for youths jointly with public institutions such as the Ministry of Education ③ support for gugak education at universities across the nation ④ fostering gugak lovers and operation of the gugak academy for professional artists ⑤ attending gugak performances and education in local communities ⑥ provision of on-line gugak education 
▪ The seven sub-plans include programs for the following purposes: children’s experience of folk game, traditional art performance, and gugak; production and supply of gugak streaming for infants; support for gugak orchestra of youths; gugak and gugak profession experience programs for youths; training in art pedagogy for teachers; operation of the academy for professional artists; support for gugak concert at elementary schools; supply of gugak instructors to schools for the disabled students; provision of easy access to the gugak education, using the application, “Gugaknoriteo”; and development and distribution of gugak content such as animation in the theme of gugak.

1.  
▪Storytelling grandmothers are dispatched to nurseries and kindergartens after undergoing training. In a class of about 30 children, they tell stories, focusing on the plot while explaining the meanings of words and themes. Since the inception of the project in 2009, the scope of the project has expanded across the nation (2,462 storytelling grammas participated in the storytelling for 460,000 children as of 2018) to the satisfaction of the operators of nurseries and parents.
2.  
▪ The project is focused on laying the basis on which the elderly, the culturally disadvantaged group, can enjoy culture. It provides cultural programs (2,995) tailored to the elderly at the cultural facilities across the nation, holds silver culture festivals (in October) on the regional and nationwide level, and organizes regional networks to hold forums, performances and workshops. 
3.  
▪ The project is composed of “50+ Foundation,” “50+ Campus,” and “50+ Center.” It has a three-step assistance system for the citizens of Seoul to methodically prepare for their life after 50. 
▪It provides those in their 50s and 60s with the vocational education to redesign senior life, establish startups and find new jobs, as well as assisting their culturally creative activities. On top of this, it gathers their opinions and gives them counseling on how to find jobs and engage in volunteer activities.   

1. The act entails cultural diversity and expressions based on the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity. It prescribes the responsibilities of central and local governments; basic matters relating to formulation, execution, etc. of basic plans for cultural diversity; establishment of the Cultural Diversity Committee under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister; preparation of a national report under the UNESCO convention; actual status surveys on cultural diversity and annual reports; designation of the Day of Cultural Diversity; and support for protection and promotion of cultural diversity. 
2. The ordinances issued by local governments on the protection and promotion of cultural diversity total 20, including other ordinances related to cultural diversity. Seven municipalities have enacted ordinances focused on cultural diversity: Seoul Metropolitan Government (on May 18, 2017), Busan Metropolitan Government (Mar. 22, 2017), Gwangju Metropolitan Government (Jan. 1, 2017), Gyeonggi Municipal Government (Mar. 13, 2017), Chungcheongbuk-do Municipal Government (Nov. 10, 2017), Jeollanam-do Municipal Government (Dec. 1, 2016) and Jeju Special Self-governing Province (Jun. 2, 2017). Main points of the ordinances are similar to the act on cultural diversity, but the ordinances provide an institutional basis from which to disseminate the value of cultural diversity at local communities through the ad hoc local consultative organs. Busan Metropolitan Government, in particular, has encapsulated in eight versions of its declaration its aims to pursue cultural diversity.

A variety of events such as a soccer game between North Korean refugees and South Korean residents, soccer lecture by the national soccer team players, an athletic meeting, quiz game, North Korean food tasting session and financial and educational counseling are offered at the Gathering of North Korean Refugees and South Korean Residents. It has been held annually since 2011 and has expanded its scope to invite more refugees and residents in cooperation with local governments and civic organizations in 2017 (as of 2017, about 2,000 participants have attended the Gathering).
This project is to diagnose the language development of children from multi-ethnic families and have language instructors conduct intensive language education for them. In addition, it will create a family environment in which the children of multicultural families become bilinguals and help them participate in the international exchange programs to grow into global talents. It also provides visiting education services for the multicultural families.
Article 19 of the Framework Act on Treatment of Foreigners Residing in the Republic of Korea (legislated on May 17, 2007) designates May 20 as Together Day and a period of one week beginning with Together Day as Together Week. On Together Day and in the Week, a variety of programs are provided across the nation, including academic conference, government award, foreign culture experience, lectures on immigration policies. 

▪ The project finances the production of programs, the operation of broadcasting services, the purchase of broadcasting equipment and the operation of facilities. In other words, the operator of the project provides funds for TV program production, operation of the satellite broadcasting service, replacement of outdated equipment and conversion to HD format, in addition to financing the maintenance of the broadcasting equipment. 

▪ In 1995, the Korean Pavilion opened as the 26th national pavilion at the Venice Biennale. It exhibits arts and architectural works, focused on Korean identity. Arts are exhibited in odd-numbered years and architectural works in even-numbered years. Art experts form a network centering on the exhibitions. 

▪It contributes to the establishment of the infrastructure for cultural exchanges overseas and better understanding of Korean culture. It presents the traditional Korean arts abroad by dispatching the arts troupe to the Korean Cultural Centers in foreign countries. Korean artists hold lectures on traditional Korean arts for the local residents and engage in volunteer activities for the culturally isolated people in foreign countries, thus promoting cultural exchanges and better understanding of Korean culture. In 2017, cultural and arts troupes were dispatched to Vietnam, Indonesia and Turkey for cultural exchanges. 

The project includes sports academy, Korean culture experience, and friendship programs. In 2017, 40 athletes from 10 countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka and Ecuador, joined the project of KPC. 

▪ Main features of the project are as follows. ① By dispatching cultural volunteers to developing countries, it provides complimentary arts and cultural education for the cultural talents of the countries. In 2016, 62 volunteers were sent to seven countries to give cultural education on vocal music, choreography, play, etc. ② After auditions, the cultural and artistic talents of the target countries were invited to the art camp in Korea, and then enrolled in intensive studies in the fashion of Korean education for the gifted. ③ It sought a long-term measure to employ the arts and cultural manpower as part of the efforts to create jobs through public diplomacy. 

▪The ODA project for arts and cultural education by Korea Arts and Culture Education Service was implemented in the Lao Cai Province (Sa Pa district and Bac Ha district) in 2013 and administered for five years jointly with KOICA. 
▪The project was divided into five categories: elementary and middle school education, club activities, training for educational mediators and presentation of achievement.
▪Each program provided education mediated by photography, choreography and plays, with elementary and middle school students representing the local culture with photos. 
▪ One program of education on visual arts was implemented. 
▪During 2013-14, the education administered only in the Sa Pa district was extended to the Bac Ha district, with artistic genres diversified from visual arts to modern choreography and play. The number of students increased from 1,200 in the first year of the ODA project to 1,780 in 2015 and to 2,000 in 2016. Starting in 2018, the project is scheduled to expand as to provide arts and cultural education for students and teachers at the boarding school set up by KOICA. 

▪ The project, which is funded by the lottery industry, is divided into two components: “Sharing Performance Art” and “Sharing Creativity.” The Sharing Performance Art project provides the “Sarang (“love”) Ticket” program to subsidize the ticket prices of exhibitions and performances for seniors over age 64 as well as children and youths under age 25; the Arts and Culture on the Move program which provides cultural programs in remote areas; and the Cultural Outreach program to present art performances at culturally isolated regions. The Sharing Creativity project is represented by the Culture Community program to provide local communities with the opportunity for autonomous cultural activities. 

▪While various projects are being implemented to bridge the knowledge and digital divide, one of the most noticeable facts is that some of these projects utilize the digital technology of Korea, and that the access to knowledge is being recognized as an important issue for cultural diversity and pursuit of cultural rights.

▪ First, this project provides children of multicultural families with bilingual programs, as well as gaming programs and educational materials using children’s songs and fairytales. Second, it offers education for parents to help them communicate with their children, thereby helping their children become bilingual. It particularly enhances the role of parents in the communication between family members. Third, it assists in establishing networks among multicultural parents such as the meetings of parents to share knowledge and information.  

▪ Key activities are as follows. 1) Establishing and operating the state-run Asia Culture Center; 2) creating a culture-friendly urban environment by designating culture zones by core municipal function and remodeling local cultural sites. For instance, the Asian Cultural Exchange Zone in Nam-gu District (of Gwangju) has the Asia Art Village and Asia Culture Street, the area for the artists’ exchanges; 3) promoting creative activities of Asian artists and creating more opportunities for the local population to enjoy cultural activities. This project also nourishes professional artists and supports their activities by establishing and operating human resources development centers and providing training programs for professional content developers and producers; and 4) bolstering the city’s capacity and standing as a venue for cultural exchange while laying the groundwork for Asian cultural exchange.

After the Ordinance on the Protection and Promotion of Cultural Diversity was enacted on Nov. 10, 2017, Chungcheongbuk-do province began to support the activities to promote cultural diversity. One of them was the joint performance featuring Vietnamese traditional music and choreography; Korean traditional music; folk songs; and gayageum (classical musical instrument of Korea) play. Also a humanities class in the theme of ‘Vietnam’s War Memories and Korea’s Remembrance of War’ opened in 2017 as part of the cultural exchange program. Various civic groups, including Korea-Vietnam Peace Foundation, have been hosting an array of cultural and art exhibitions (e.g., “19 Years’ Record of ROK Army’s Civilian Massacre in the Vietnam War”)

The project supports the access of Korean performing arts and visual arts to the global market. The “supports for the performing arts” provide strategic guidance for Korean performing arts and traditional artists to advance to the international stage and assists the regional tours featuring exceptional performances. The “supports for the global expansion of visual arts” include ① assistance to visual artists in establishing presence abroad ② establishment of the artwork appraisal system ③ overseas publications on Korean art ④ creation of a Korean Wave (hallyu) in the art field ⑤ assistance in exploring overseas market for Korean arts.

1.
▪ The media education at school supports media literacy classes and provides a training program for teachers tailored to each country or to the free semester system. It also conducts research on media literacy curriculum and designs class primarily based on teachers’ field experience. 
▪ The media education for the public provides the community childcare centers, community welfare centers, libraries, etc. with instructors and curriculum to meet each institution’s needs while providing educational content specific to each class and age group. Also, it operates a journalism experience program for teenagers and the Newspaper in Education program for both children and parents.
▪ The infrastructure program produces specialized instructors and strengthens their capacities. It also distributes materials for media education as well as developing and providing educational content. In addition, it hosts media education forums and contests.