CULTURAL FACILITIES IN RURAL AREAS SHUT DOWN

[Anchor Lead]

People of high income living in cities are known to enjoy more benefits of culture and arts. For people in the low income bracket or living in rural communities, movies were the most common medium to satisfy their cultural needs. But with COVID-19 raging on, small theaters in such culturally deprived areas are facing closure.

[Pkg]

A small village of about 28-thousand in Gokseong, Jeollanam-do Province. This is the area's only movie theater. The cinema reportedly drew more than 100-thousand customers since its opening two years ago. But now it stands empty. The projector and pop corn machine have not been operated for over four months. COVID-19 caused the facility to shut down. Nobody knows when it will open again.

[Soundbite] RYU JONG-PYO(GOKSEONG RESIDENT) : "It's very frustrating because an important venue for cultural experience has been shut down. Cinema is the best way for people in rural communities appreciate culture."

Local government attempted to keep the theater afloat, but fell short, due to insufficient budget.

[Soundbite] KIM IN-GYEONG(CULTURE AND SPORTS DIVISION, GOKSEONG COUNTY GOV'T) : "The county government bought some 800 tickets to help out the theater."

The story of this small theater in Cherwon, Gangwon-do Province is not much different.

[Soundbite] HEO JI-MIN(ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT) : "It was nice having a theater near my home because I didn't have to travel far."

The cinema reopened for a brief period last month, but had to close again. The owner, unable to bear the deficit, decided to shut it down altogether.

[Soundbite] KIM EUN-SUK(CULTURE AND ART OFFICER, CHEORWON COUNTY GOV'T) : "Local governments with small theaters are not well-funded, so it's hard for them to provide operational subsidies."

There are 50 small theaters built in rural communities that serve as very important cultural venues. But over 1.3 million movie discount coupons distributed by the government are useless here. The government has not even supported the communities' disease control efforts. In short, although the government set out to narrow the culture gap, assistance has not been directed to the places that really need it.

[Soundbite] KANG YU-JUNG(PROFESSOR, KANGNAM UNIV. (FILM CRITIC)) : "Cultural equity should be treated just as importantly as economic equity, but the issue hasn't been addressed in rural communities."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism allocated 8.8 billion won for movie coupons in the third supplementary budget plan, but it doesn't include a subsidy program for small local theaters.