Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law Commons^™

Building The Korean Film Industry's Competitiveness: Abolish The Screen Quota And Subsidize The Film Industry, Carolyn Hyun-Kyung Kim

Washington International Law Journal

Under Korean law, local theaters in Korea must show Korean films for at least 146 days each year. In 1998, this screen quota became the subject of heated debate between the United States and the Korean film industry when the United States demanded that Korea abolish it. The United States believes the quota violates free trade principles, while the Korean film industry argues that cultural products such as films cannot be equated with other commercial commodities. Cultural identities must be protected because a diversified global culture benefits all. Domestic film industries should be protected because films constitute a vehicle for …