The former presidential office site Cheong Wa Dae will be transformed into a cultural complex, while a fund worth 4.8 trillion won ($3.66 billion) aimed at supporting Korean content will be set up.

In the first policy briefing to President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday, Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon outlined the ministry’s priorities, including converting Cheng Wa Dae into a cultural landmark and measures to support the country’s cultural industry.

With the principle of preserving the original state, the former presidential office will become a cultural complex with Yeongbingwan, the former state reception hall, set to become a modern and contemporary art gallery that will host an exhibition of the Cheong Wa Dae collection of some 600 art pieces. The first Yeongbingwan exhibition is to take place this fall.

The second floor of Chunchugwan, which was used as a press briefing room, will be used as a special exhibition room that can also be rented out to the public. The inaugural exhibition will be an exhibition of 50 works by artists with disabilities, including Kim Hyung-woo, known as Pixel Kim, and Jung Eun-hye.

Park said Cheong Wa Dae would be an ideal example of public-and-private sector cooperation.

The main building and the presidential residence will become a symbolic place that shows the lives of Korea’s past presidents. To this end, family members of former presidents will form a committee to share experiences living there.

The ministry will also support the Korean content industry with funds worth 4.8 trillion won for the next five years. Funds will have various purposes, ranging from a fund for securing intellectual property rights to a fund to support rare genres and a mergers and acquisitions fund.

To support the content industry, whose annual exports have reached $11.9 billion, the ministry plans to foster 10,000 talents over the next three years.

After the 70-minute briefing, Yoon said, “The most important role of the Culture Ministry is to guarantee fair access to culture. When the minister and its affiliates are purchasing art works, prioritize works by disabled and new artists.”

He also ordered the ministry to expand the Korean film development fund, which has been exhausted due to COVID-19, as well as cultural vouchers for low-income groups.

“Please make sure state-owned art works, including the Lee Kun-hee collection, can tour other regions for exhibitions so that all regions can equally enjoy them,” Yoon said.

The Lee Kun-hee collection of some 23,000 works worth a combined 12 trillion won was donated by the family of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

(gypark@heraldcorp.com)