On Tuesday, September 9, President Lee Jae Myung established the Presidential Committee on Popular Culture Exchange.
He named JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin Young, better known as J.Y. Park, alongside Culture Minister Choi Hwi Young, as co-chairs of the new body. Both positions carry ministerial-level authority and show how seriously the government is treating this new body.
The announcement was made by the Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon Sik during a briefing at the Yongsan presidential office. Kang called Park “one of Korea’s representative singers who has worked hard to globalize K-pop.” He stated that J.Y. Park is expected to help make Korea a country where people around the world enjoy Korean culture while also letting Koreans experience more from abroad.
The JYP Entertainment founder responded to the appointment through Instagram, admitting that he felt the weight of taking on government duties, but he ultimately took on the role for his love of K-pop.
Taking on a government role is a heavy and worrying responsibility for someone working in the entertainment industry, and I struggled with the decision. However, I ultimately resolved to accept because I believe K-pop is now facing an extraordinarily special opportunity—one that we must make the most of.
Back in 2003, when I went to the United States without any plan and handed out promotional materials for our artists to American record companies, in 2009, when the Wonder Girls became the first Korean group to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and even now at this very moment, my dream has always remained the same: for K-pop to be loved all around the world.
Through my work on the ground, I have often wished there were stronger institutional support systems in place. Now, I hope to organize these needs and ensure practical support is provided, so that younger artists can gain even more opportunities.
J.Y. Park is known as one of the most influential figures in K-pop. He built JYP Entertainment into a major global label and managed acts that expanded the reach of Korean music overseas. Wonder Girls became the first Korean group to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in 2009, while TWICE, Stray Kids, and ITZY went on to grow huge international fanbases.
The launch of the committee fits into President Lee Jae Myung’s wider cultural policy. The government has set big goals, including building a 300 trillion won K-culture market and reaching 50 trillion won in cultural exports by 2030. Lee has also visited leading cultural companies such as CJ ENM to discuss ways to strengthen support for the industry.
Along with the new committee, several other appointments were announced. Attorney Wi Cheol Hwan was nominated for the National Election Commission. Former Minister of Government Legislation Lee Seog Yeon was named chair of the Presidential Committee on National Cohesion, and architect Kim Jin Ae will lead the Presidential Commission on Architecture Policy.
Other roles include Kim Kyung Hyup as commissioner of the Overseas Korean Agency and Jung Goo Chang as vice minister of gender equality and family.