Minister Choi Hwi-young of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, at the first roundtable with the gaming industry since taking office, said that games will become the leading force opening the 300 trillion won era of K-culture and expressed the government's strong will to provide active support.
On the 24th, Minister Choi visited the Game Talent Development Institute and the Global Game Hub Center in Pangyo, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, and met with leaders from major companies such as Nexon, KRAFTON, Netmarble, NCSOFT, and Smilegate, as well as indie game studios. He said the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will push a range of policies to serve as a primer for new growth engines and stressed a strategy to foster K-games.
Participants said the global game market is rapidly being reorganized around China and Southeast Asia, and that new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the industrial landscape, raising the need for government support. In particular, they requested the introduction of a tax credit for game production costs; expansion of fund investments covering both major companies and indies; support for export diversification; and the establishment of support for an artificial intelligence transition (AX) in the game production environment.
Minister Choi, referring to a past career as NHN chief, said, I worked as a representative in the game industry 20 years ago. Since then, games have achieved tremendous industrial results, and I feel great pride in that. He continued, If the 20th century was the era of film, the 21st century is the era of games, adding, The possibility that games will lead a pillar of culture and the arts remains open going forward.