By ChristianToday Reporter Lee Dae Ung dwlee@chtoday.co.kr
Participants include government officials, media representatives and entertainment management representatives.
In light of recurring incidents involving idols (teenage entertainers), such as those involving Dong Bang Shin Ki and Kara, which have exposed ‘slave contracts’, the head producers of three broadcasting stations, representatives from entertainment management companies and related officials and representatives convened a government meeting to cooperate over the protection of idols’ basic rights.
Held on the morning of the 26th at the council chamber of the Ministry of Gender and Family in Seoul, the participants included the Minister-in-charge of youth from the Ministry of Gender and Family Baik Hui Young, KBS chief of media contents Gil Hwan Young, MBC chief producer Cho Joong Hyeon, , SBS chief producer Pai Cheol Ho, the representative from Media Line Kim Chang Hwan, the representative from CAN Entertainment Kang Seung Ho, the representative of Music Factory Kim Tae Hyeong as well as representatives from other entertainment management companies. Officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, the Korean Communications Commission, the Fair Trade Commission and other related agencies also participated.
November of last year, four related government agencies investigated the situation of teenage entertainers, especially with regards to sexual health and protection as well as education, and released a report with detailed policy recommendations on how to maintain underage entertainers’ entertainment activities in a fair environment. Since then, the government has moved on the Pop Culture and Arts Business Act as well as other laws laying down regulations and standards for the protection of teenage entertainers, and on the 3rd of this month the Fair Trade Commission opened investigations into the practice of inappropriate bodily exposure of teenage entertainers and will be moving to enforce a ban on such activities through consumer-oriented policies, an action plan and the imposition of the model contract for pop culture and arts industries.
Minister Baik Hui Young declared, “As the entertainment industry continues to accelerate, the number of underage entertainers are on the rise; unfortunately, accompanying problems such as unfair exclusive contracts and [the difficulty to] guarantee of their basic rights are also on the rise,” and “from now on the government and broadcasters, along with management companies, must work together to create an environment where underage entertainers can be protected whilst undertaking their entertainment activities.”
Afterwards, there was a session to discuss difficulties and listen to current opinions.
Source: Christiantoday.co.kr
Translation by: Jimmie of TheJYJFiles