Cartoon Organizations Oppose the Nationalization of the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency

"Cannot Agree to the Establishment of a Transfer or Replacement Institution for the Korea Creative Content Agency"

The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency, completed on the 23rd, features an exterior mostly shaped in curved forms resembling film strips. Hyundai Engineering & Construction was responsible for the construction.

Comic organizations have voiced opposition to the 'Partial Amendment to the Framework Act on the Promotion of Cultural Industries' that incorporates the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency into the Korea Creative Content Agency as a subordinate institution.

On the 8th, comic organizations such as the Korean Cartoonists Association issued a statement urging the withdrawal of the amendment bill. They unanimously declared, "We cannot agree to the incorporation into the Korea Creative Content Agency or the establishment of an alternative institution."

The bill was proposed on December 16 of last year by thirteen members of the National Assembly, including Kim Seung-won of the Democratic Party, a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. It aims to nationalize the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency located in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The comic organizations emphasized, "The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency has served as a communication channel for various stakeholders in the manhwa industry and has also played a central role in global comic industry exchanges," adding, "These are issues difficult to resolve under the Korea Creative Content Agency's system."

The Korea Manhwa Contents Agency originated from the Bucheon Manhwa Information Center established in 1998 and was launched in 2009 as a Bucheon city-affiliated institution. It is responsible for operating the Korea Manhwa Museum, managing the Bucheon International Comics Festival, and supporting the translation of exported works. It receives an annual budget of 11.4 billion KRW, including 10.5 billion KRW from the national government and 900 million KRW from provincial and city funds.

Previously, Assemblyman Kim stated that the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency's operations had been excessively lax and that personnel irregularities were widespread, arguing that the state should directly manage and nurture the agency, which was the rationale behind the amendment bill.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.