Will Movie Ticket Prices Decrease?... Surcharges to Be Abolished Starting Next Year

The Film Development Fund is Maintained by Other Resources

The burden on the public for visiting movie theaters will be slightly reduced.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 27th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will abolish the surcharge that has been levied on movie ticket prices starting next year. Until now, a surcharge equivalent to 3% of the ticket price has been imposed. The government decided to abolish it at the 23rd Emergency Economic and Livelihood Meeting, defining it as a "shadow tax" that most consumers were unaware of paying.

A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official explained, “We plan to amend the 'Act on the Promotion of Movies and Videos' so that the surcharge will be abolished from January 1 next year.” He added, “The abolition of the surcharge should lead to an actual reduction in movie ticket prices,” and “We are discussing related issues with major theaters to ensure that the public can feel the impact.”

The Movie Development Fund, which is the driving force behind the promotion of the film industry, will be maintained as is. Support will continue without disruption through other funding sources. A Ministry official stated, "We plan to ensure stable operation by replacing it with government budgets such as the general account," and added, "The Ministry of Economy and Finance shares the same position."

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