South Korea's new culture minister has stated that he will be promoting exchanges with Asia in order to boost the country's cultural image. He hopes to boost ties with Asian countries that have embraced Korean cultural products. Kim Myong-gon said at his inauguration: "The concept of the 'Korean Wave' seems to have got swept along with the idea that it is broadly economic and (reminiscent) of cultural imperialism. I have been thinking of ways to promote mutual understanding with those nations that love Korean pop culture so that we become cultural partners." Kim took his office during a protest by movie workers against the government's free trade agreement with the US. Under the agreement, South Korea will halve the number of mandatory screening days for domestic movies. Despite personally disagreeing with the policy, Kim has vowed to observe it. "I'm one of those people who love movies and have been thinking about the ways Korean movies can grow. But now I think my ideas as an individual are one thing, and the position I should take as culture minister is quite a separate matter," he said. For more information, CLICK HERE.