Exports of Korean cultural content up 9.7% in 2016: data

By a2017001

Published : Jun 11, 2017 - 10:18 Updated : Jun 11, 2017 - 10:46

Exports of South Korean cultural content rose 9.7 percent on-year in 2016 despite an economic slowdown and China's restriction on imports of Korean pop culture over a diplomatic row, data showed Sunday.

Overseas shipments of cultural products reached 6.21 billion won ($5.52 million) in 2016, compared with 5.66 billion won the previous year, according to the data by the Korea Creative Content Agency.

This photo taken on May 10, 2017, shows the 10th International Busan Contents Market, an event on broadcasting content held in South Korea`s southern port city of Busan. (Yonhap)

Exports of cultural products rose despite a 5.9 percent on-year fall in South Korea's total exports last year.

China has prevented South Korean pop stars from appearing on Chinese entertainment programs since October as South Korea decided in July last year to station the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system on its soil.

Shipments of games rose 7.2 percent on-year to 3.44 billion won, accounting for 55.5 percent of the total exports of cultural content, the findings showed.

The sale of local cultural content gained 5.2 percent on-year to 105.7 trillion won last year on the back of brisk exports, the data showed.

The growth pace slowed from a 5.8 percent on-year gain in 2015, but in the 2011-2016 period, average sales growth reached 5 percent.

By sector, sales in the publication sector accounted for the largest part at 20.3 trillion won, followed by 17.1 trillion won in broadcasting and 14.8 trillion won in advertisements.

The agency said that exports of cultural products are expected to reach 6.85 billion won this year, continuing a similar growth pace to last year's. (Yonhap)