한국국제교류재단

This article is about the 'World Trends' program' hosted since 1992 by the House of World Cultures under the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. This writer attended the program's culture and economy sector held from November 15 to December 7, 2001. The World Trends's is a training program held by the French government for those field workers engaged in the culture and art sectors (areas of administration, economy, library and creative art) with a view to forming personnel networks for various culture and art-related activities, as well as promoting international exchanges of culture and art programs through such networks, and to enhance understanding of French cultural policies. -ed.


Upon participating in the training program, I began to freshly ponder such fundamental issues as what exactly is culture, what kinds of national policies culture should be promoted through, and what is the spillover effect of cultural industry on culture in general.


Culture Seen from an Economic Viewpoint


A look at culture-related government composition of the various countries shows that the concept of culture subject and the scope of cultural policies are understood from various angles (whether to include education, youth, sports and tourism). In this article, however, culture will be discussed as it is commonly conceived by many countries, namely, artistic activities that have a narrow view of culture will be examined.

Seen from an economic point of view, cultural and artistic activities and their products either decline or receive government subsidies in the face of dwindling demand because their market prices do not competitively decrease due to the inability to go through technical innovation. This is in part due to the fact that cultural and artistic activities are labor-intensive and their production cost remains constant. Under the circumstances, governments recognize culture as a public asset which is indispensable for the wellbeing of humanity. This is also the case with medical and educational services. Accordingly, an investment in culture is made.

As a consequence, the cultural policy of a country mainly concerns the amount of funds a government allocates to its cultural sector and the degree of a government's intervention in cultural activities.


Cultural Policy of France


The cultural policy of France can be typified as 'cultural democratization.' Following the two famed former ministers of culture, Andre Malraux and Jacque Lang, both standard-bearers of a culturally powerful France, the French cultural sector has made a steady effort, resulting in the French government setting aside one percent of the state budget as a cultural fund.

In France, the culture budget finances various activities to realize cultural democratization, including: dispersion of cultural production and distribution activities centered in Paris, subsidies to creative cultural and artistic activities, invigoration of the art market, preservation, development and creation of added values of cultural relics, support for the training and employment of specialized artists, expansion of accessibility to culture, development of new media, international exchanges to promote cultural diversity, and promotion of the French language.

To this end, the French government has established a training system to increase access to culture and art for young people in cooperation with the Education Ministry. In addition, to give more cultural opportunities to those people who cannot financially afford to have access to culture, the French government opens, for instance, cultural facilities to them for free on the first Sunday of each month and applies discounted fees at different times during the day. To alleviate geographical inconveniences, public services are scattered offering neighborhood libraries, spaces for Internet services, movie theatres and venues for performances and exhibitions.


Korea's Cultural Policy


According to a paper released by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism, its current cultural policy is being shaped based on the review of the state's social economic development policy from a culture perspective, transcending conservation and development of cultural and the creation of a better creative atmosphere and the promotion of the people's right to enjoy cultural services. At present, priority is given to development of local culture, development of cultural contents and information through the application of new technology.


Comparison of Cultural Policies of the Two Countries


The cultural policies which the governments of Korea and France have in common include those designed to preserve cultural relics, expand cultural facilities, and foster conditions for creative artistic activities. Both governments also endeavor to induce private organizations and industries to voluntarily participate in and manage cultural activities.

One difference between the two countries is that France has yet to make any strategic investment in cultural industry (production and distribution of cultural contents). This is apparently because in France, government support for cultural activities is limited to creative artistic activities without being linked to industrialization. In Korea, however, it is quite visible that the informationalization and industrialization of culture on the strength of the development of information technology. To industrialize culture is a way to democratize cultural opportunities for people beyond the limits of time and space. The industrialization of culture accompanies economic benefits as well, adding economic viability of the culture.

Although culture can do without government subsidies once it becomes highly industrialized, industrialization is prone to harm the genuine value of culture due to economic considerations, standardization and rigidity associated with industrialization. The government is expected to devise cultural policy with due attention to these factors.


Role of Cultural Administrators


In this context it could be understood why a lecturer during the training class made the remarks that the mission of cultural administrators is not to simply repeat their daily duties, but to foresee various social conditions that will define people's lives in the future and operate present programs in light of such conditions.

As a cultural and international exchange administrator, it came to my mind that one way to help increase the cultural competitiveness of one's country in line with national policies is to cultivate an insight into the future and culturally training oneself ceaselessly inspired by such an insight and arming oneself with knowledge and information as well as sense of responsibility.