[theqoo] [EXCLUSIVE] K-CONTENT “8 YEARS OF SHACKLES”…. THAAD BAN WITH CHINA LIFTED

It has been reported that the Chinese government plans to lift the Korean cultural content ban as early as May. This comes 8 years after the  Korean cultural content ban was imposed in 2017 as retaliation for South Korea’s deployment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system.

A senior official from the China-Asia Pacific Cooperation Center, the organization preparing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in China, met with a reporter on the 19th and stated, “Starting next month, we plan to send a civilian cultural delegation to South Korea, and expand cultural exchanges, with the goal of full cultural openness in the first half of this year.” This suggests that the  Korean cultural content ban, which had blocked the distribution of Korean content such as dramas, movies, games, and K-pop performances in China, will be lifted. The official explained that the Chinese government’s decision was based on the need for strengthened cooperation between China and South Korea, as both countries will take turns hosting the APEC summit and holding the chairmanship this year and next.

While the Chinese government officially states that the  Korean cultural content ban does not exist, it has effectively banned the distribution of Korean content. To export Korean content to China, South Korean companies had to receive approval or censorship from the Chinese authorities, but such approvals were often denied. According to the KDB Future Strategy Institute under the Industrial Bank of Korea, the damage to related industries in South Korea during the  Korean cultural content ban was estimated to be as high as 22 trillion KRW in 2017.

In relation to this, a representative from the South Korean Embassy in China stated, “We have consistently demanded the lifting of the  Korean cultural content ban, and positive signs are being detected from the Chinese government. Since the  Korean cultural content ban is not an officially stated regulation, it is unlikely that China will formally announce its lifting. Instead, if K-pop singers or other artists apply to perform in China, the restrictions will be relaxed compared to the past, and eventually, Korean content will likely be fully opened.”

There is also an interpretation that China’s move to improve relations with South Korea, a U.S. ally, is part of a strategy to find a breakthrough amid increasing U.S.-China tensions after the inauguration of Donald Trump’s second term. Last year, China included South Korea for the first time in its list of visa-free countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, and recently, during the Winter Asian Games, President Xi Jinping met with South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker, Woo Won-shik, signaling a softer approach toward South Korea.

1. I forgot it was still there ㅋㅋ

2. Let’s not receive any investment from China, our quality will drop 

3. I think I preferred when the THAAD was still there… 

4. Please don’t lift it 

5. I think it’s fine 

6. Ah I hate it ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I don’t care if there are concerts or not, this is just tiring 

7. What lifted? Don’t lift it 

8. Ah f*ck don’t lift it 

9. Leave it as it is