The government Tuesdays launched a tech content venture center called the “Creative Economic Leader,” or CEL Venture Center, in downtown Seoul.

Located in the former building of the Korea Tourism Organization, the CEL Venture Center will accommodate some 90 start-ups specializing in creating stories and content using the latest and emerging technologies such as virtual reality, drones and location-based information services.

The CEL Academy, an educational institute for training the next-generation of digital storytellers, also opened in the same building. Forty-five students will be enrolled at the academy starting next month.

“This completes the second stage of Korea’s cultural belt initiative along with the establishment of the academy,” said Yoon Tae-yong, deputy culture minister in charge of the cultural content industry.

“We will seek to create a sustainable ecosystem enabling start-ups to create and commercialize their content for the global market.”

In addition to a creative convergence center run by CJ E&M and the government in Sangam-dong and CEL Center, the government plans to open K-Culture Valley theme park in Ilsan, the K-Experience traditional and modern art hall in Jongno, and the K-pop performance center in Jamsil by 2017.

(hkp@heraldcorp.com)