Mexican Broadcasters Air Three Documentaries on Korean Culture and AI During President Lee's State Visit

Major Mexican broadcasters aired a series of special documentaries highlighting Korean culture and artificial intelligence (AI) from September 24 to 26, coinciding with President Lee Jaemyung's state visit, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on September 29.

Three documentaries, co-produced by the private broadcaster TV Azteca, the nationwide terrestrial network Imagen Television, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, were broadcast between September 24 and 26 on terrestrial TV, pay TV, broadcaster websites, and YouTube channels.

TV Azteca 'Kim Koo, The Dream That Conquered the World (Kim Koo: el sueño que conquistó al planeta)' broadcast screen. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Centered on the question "Where does the strength of Korean culture come from?", the documentaries connected the "power of culture" emphasized by Kim Koo in his 1947 work "My Wish" to today's K-culture. They also showcased how Korean society is preparing for the AI era.

TV Azteca's September 26 broadcast, "Kim Koo: The Dream That Conquered the World," explored the global spread of Korean culture as the result of long-term investments in education and culture. Starting with Kim Koo's vision of a nation that interacts with the world through art and culture, not war and violence, the documentary highlighted the growth of K-culture today. It also covered the history of the 1,033 Koreans who emigrated to Yucatan, Mexico, in 1905 and supported the Korean independence movement, illustrating the longstanding ties between Korea and Mexico.

Imagen Television's September 24 feature, "The Winning Move That Changed Korea," examined South Korea's decision to invest in culture in the aftermath of colonial rule and the devastation of war. Tracking how traditions such as jang (fermented sauces) and hanbok have evolved into the fashion, urban, and beauty industries, the documentary argued that the competitiveness of Korean culture arises from the combination of tradition and innovation. Kim Mi, director of the Kim Koo Memorial Hall and Kim Koo's granddaughter, appeared on the program, stating, "Rather than thinking about what more Korea can acquire, we should consider what we can share with the world through our strengths."

"Irreplaceable Things: The Human Face of Technology," which aired the same day, explored how Korean society is responding to concerns about job insecurity caused by the spread of AI. The program introduced Hyundai Motor's collaborative robots, AI interview experience spaces for youth, future vehicle technology training at Korea Polytechnic, disaster prediction research at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, unmanned fire-fighting robots for Korea’s 119 service, and the AI medical system at Samsung Medical Center. The broadcast noted that Korean society regards AI not simply as a technology that replaces jobs, but as a tool to complement human beings and address societal challenges.

Imagent Television's broadcast screen of 'The Game Changer for Korea (La apuesta que cambi Corea)'. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

On September 24, the day Imagen Television aired its documentary, a Korea-Mexico summit was held, during which both nations adopted the "AI Cooperation Declaration." The two leaders agreed on principles for the use of AI that value a human-centered approach, the public good, safety, and trust, and committed to enhancing bilateral cooperation. The "Korea-Mexico Joint Action Plan 2026-2030," which includes collaboration in economic and trade, AI, aerospace and defense, and culture and education sectors, was also adopted.

Both TV Azteca and Imagen Television concluded their documentaries by connecting Korea's experience to proposals for Mexico. TV Azteca stated, "Investments in education, culture, creativity, and the arts can yield remarkable results," while Imagen Television emphasized, "Investing in our own culture provides the strength to overcome difficult times."

The documentaries were released on multiple platforms, including terrestrial, online, and pay TV. TV Azteca aired them via ADN Noticias terrestrial TV, its own website, YouTube, and Facebook. Imagen Television simultaneously broadcast its documentaries nationwide on terrestrial and pay TV, free smart TV channels, its website, and YouTube.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to rebroadcast the documentaries for domestic and international audiences through Arirang TV and MBC Plus at the end of the year.

Gong Hyungsik, Director General for Public Communication at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "Through these documentaries, the cultural power dreamed of by Kim Koo and Korea's human-centered AI transition have been conveyed to Mexican viewers. We hope Korea and Mexico will continue to understand each other through culture and technology." He added, "The Ministry will continue to expand collaborations with foreign media to promote Korean culture and technology worldwide."

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