Yeongjinwi Establishes 'COVID-19 TF'... Delayed Crisis Response

On the 22nd, when the government strongly urged 'social distancing' to overcome COVID-19, a movie theater in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul was quiet. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jonggil Lee] The Korean Film Council announced on the 25th that it has established a dedicated channel to handle support tasks for the film industry struggling due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). This is the 'COVID-19 Dedicated Response TF' of the Fair Environment Creation Center. Four staff members (1 director and 3 team members) will serve as a communication channel to assess the damage caused by COVID-19 and provide guidance on support measures. They will also oversee tasks such as supporting theater disinfection and investigating damage situations by sector.

This is a belated crisis response. During the more than two months of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the council only delivered 5,000 hand sanitizers to movie theaters. Although damage reports had already been received from theaters and others, no countermeasures were presented.

The Korean Film Council admitted its fault, stating, "The council's administrative system is organized mainly around supporting Korean film production, distribution, and screening projects, and thus it failed to respond adequately to the unprecedented crisis caused by the spread of COVID-19." It added, "We will seek practical support measures to minimize the overall damage to the film industry caused by COVID-19, preserve jobs for film professionals, and ensure safe cultural enjoyment for the public."

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