"Stop the Marketization of Victim Support"
On the 3rd, Kim Seona, chairperson of the Women Filmmakers Association, spoke at a press conference held at People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
As the support system for victims of sexual violence in the film industry has been halted for nine months, filmmakers are urging the government to come up with countermeasures. They argue that the protection gap has widened since the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council converted the support project to a competitive bidding system.
Six organizations, including the Women Filmmakers Association and the Association of Korean Independent Film & Video, held a press conference at People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd, calling for the full normalization of operations at the Korean Film Gender Equality Center “Deundun.”
These organizations pointed to the Korean Film Council’s change in project management methods as the cause of the situation. Launched in 2018, Deundun is a public-private partnership body responsible for sexual violence prevention education in the film industry and support for victims. However, film industry representatives argue that the existing support system collapsed after the Korean Film Council switched the project to a lowest-price competitive bidding process through the Public Procurement Service starting in 2023 and this year entrusted it to a for-profit labor law firm.
Korean Film Council. The Asia Business Daily database
Kim Seona, chairperson of the Women Filmmakers Association, said, “Twenty-seven victims, including 16 new cases, remain under Deundun’s care, but public support has been cut off,” adding, “A private nonprofit organization is being forced to shoulder that burden with membership dues and donations.” Baek Jaeho, director of the Association of Korean Independent Film & Video, stressed, “In a structure where the operating entity can change every year, it is difficult for victims to open up about their suffering,” and added, “Trust is the core of any gender equality safety net.”
Criticism has also emerged in the National Assembly. Son Sol, a Progressive Party lawmaker, said, “When passing the 2026 budget, the National Assembly clearly demanded that a stable operating plan be prepared for victim protection,” and added, “If there is the will, this is a problem that can be resolved immediately.”
The film industry called on the government to: stop the marketization of support projects for victims of sexual violence; adhere to the principles of public interest and non-profit orientation in victim support; and hold an official meeting with representatives of the film industry.
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