Will Movie Theater Admission Surcharge Be Revived... Passing the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee

Revival of the Movie Promotion Act Amendment
Bipartisan Agreement Reached on Reinstating the Theater Admission Fee System

The bill to revive the movie theater admission fee system, which the government abolished under the pretext of reorganizing the 'shadow tax,' passed the relevant standing committee on the 21st. The National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee approved the amendment to the Act on the Promotion of Movies and Videos (Movie Promotion Act) with bipartisan agreement at a plenary session that day.

Yonhap News

The movie theater admission fee corresponds to 3% of the ticket price. It has been imposed as part of the ticket price. For example, if a viewer pays 15,000 won, about 437 won is charged as the fee.

The government judged that it had a strong quasi-tax nature. In March last year, it announced the 'Plan to Reorganize Fees and Strengthen Management Systems' and declared its intention to abolish the fee. The related bill passed the National Assembly plenary session last month, and the fee system was abolished as of January this year.

The film industry opposed this, arguing that the policies of the Korean Film Council could be shaken by interference and control from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The fee is a major source of funding for the Film Development Fund, which supports independent and art films as well as film production and export.

The approved amendment reinstates the abolished fee system and requires the collection of a fee corresponding to 3% of the movie theater ticket price. The previous bill's provision that 'the fee may be collected' has been changed to a mandatory provision that 'the fee must be collected.' If the bill passes through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the plenary session, the fee system will undergo the process of revival.

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