China Issues New Licenses for Korean Games... Is the Hanhanryeong Ban Being Lifted?

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] As the Chinese government continues to issue game licenses (authorization to provide game services within China) for domestic games, the gaming industry is expressing optimism about entering the Chinese market.

On the 10th, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency Beijing Center, the National Press and Publication Administration of China issued a foreign-invested game license for the domestic mobile game "Rooms: The Unsolvable Puzzle." This is the second case following Com2uS's "Summoners War: Sky Arena" last year.

A game license is a permit required to provide game services in China. It is divided into domestic licenses applied for by Chinese companies and foreign-invested licenses for foreign products.

"Rooms" is a mobile game developed by the domestic game developer Handmade.

Previously, in December last year, Com2uS's "Summoners War: Sky Arena" received a game license after four years.

With the consecutive issuance of game licenses, the gaming industry is hopeful about the lifting of the Hanhanryeong (Korean Wave restriction).

In 2017, when the South Korean government deployed the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), the Chinese government maintained the Hanhanryeong policy in response. Because of this, South Korean games failed to enter the Chinese market. No game licenses for domestic games had been issued since March 2017.

Following "Summoners War," with "Rooms" also receiving a Chinese game license, there is cautious speculation that regulations on Korean games are being eased.

Kim Sang-hyun, head of the Korea Creative Content Agency Beijing Center, said, "The resumption of game license issuance, which had been halted for a long time, is a very positive sign," adding, "I hope that various contents such as dramas, performances, and movies will be able to enter the market following games."

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