Expected to improve film culture accessibility for people with visual or hearing disabilities

Strengthening regional media centers to establish a foundation for expanding Value Spring content

The Korean Film Council (Chairman Han Sang-joon, hereafter “KOFIC”) signed an “MOU on the Production and Expanded Utilization of Value Spring Content to Improve Film Accessibility for People with Visual or Hearing Disabilities” on November 25 at KOFIC headquarters with the Korea Media Centers Association (CEO Yoon Jeong-rok), Media Center Naeil (CEO Kim Min-jae), and Jeonju Citizen Media Center (CEO Choi Seong-eun) (hereafter “partner organizations”).

This agreement is highly meaningful as it aims to expand cultural rights for people with disabilities, offering broader cultural experiences to individuals with visual or hearing disabilities in local areas who are relatively more vulnerable to cultural exclusion in film viewing. Under the agreement, the partner organizations will utilize their in-house production capabilities and regional networks to produce and screen a variety of films — including works from the Korean Academy of Film Arts — in the Value Spring format.

In particular, this MOU goes beyond the simple production of Value Spring films. It reinforces the public-interest role of regional media centers and connects their accumulated experience in operating educational and screening programs for disabled audiences to tangible improvements in film accessibility. It underscores the importance of contributing to the creation of an “inclusive film environment” where everyone can enjoy culture equally, regardless of disability, not just by producing individual films.

KOFIC Chairman Han Sang-joon stated, “We hope that this MOU will help establish a virtuous cycle in which various Value Spring contents are produced and utilized throughout the country through the creative production infrastructure of regional media centers,” adding, “KOFIC will continue to strengthen policy support so that Value Spring content can expand nationwide beyond individual regions.”

Meanwhile, since 2005, KOFIC has been operating the “Improvement of Film Viewing Environment for People with Disabilities” project for 20 years. To enhance the cultural rights of people with disabilities and promote a non-discriminatory film-viewing culture as well as improve disability awareness, KOFIC has supported ▲production and screening of Korean subtitles and audio description ▲the Value Spring Film Festival ▲installation of simultaneous viewing equipment in cinemas ▲production of sign-language interpretation videos for films.