Canadian Heritage supports creative industries delegation as part of the Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea.

SEOUL, South Korea, April 26, 2024 /CNW/ - The Indo-Pacific region is home to some of Canada's most important creative export markets and holds great growth potential for Canadian creative firms. The South Korean market, in particular, holds enormous promise. Canada's Creative Export Strategy is helping our creative industries to shine in this market and advance their international business development goals.

Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canada Heritage, completed a three-day visit to Seoul as part of the Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea, on behalf of the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage. Noormohamed led the creative industries delegation, in support of the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, who led the overall Team Canada mission. As a key initiative of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, this important business trip, organized with the Trade Commissioner Service in Seoul from Global Affairs Canada, helped facilitate economic and export opportunities for Canadian and South Korean creative industries.

The parliamentary secretary worked closely with more than 22 companies and organizations, mainly from the audiovisual, interactive and digital media industries, as part of the creative industries delegation.

The Canadian creative industries' business leaders also attended various business-to-business meetings. More than 165 of these meetings were organized for 17 companies. Delegates also visited corporate sites and took part in market intelligence briefings as well as networking events.

As lead of the creative industries delegation, Noormohamed also took part in bilateral meetings relevant to Canadian Heritage's mandate in encouraging opportunities for the creative industries. The parliamentary

secretary attended the signing of deals between Canadian and South Korean companies such as Blimey VR Studios inc. (a HCXR parent company) and XrisP. 

The parliamentary secretary met with Jeon Byung Geuk, Korea's First Vice-Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, to discuss creative industries and cultural cooperation as part of the Canada-Korea Year of Cultural Exchanges 2024-2025 and the Canada-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They also discussed Canada's commitment to strengthen business-to-business relationships with South Korea.

Noormohamed also met with Hyunrae Jo, President of the Korea Creative Content Agency, to solidify the relationship with this key South Korean government agency and enhance Canada-Korea collaboration in the content creation industry. He also met with Sang-In Lee, Vice Chair of Korea Communications Commission, to reaffirm Canada's commitment to establishing a modernized audiovisual coproduction treaty that will allow for more collaboration and opportunities between Canada and South Korea. The two also discussed their respective approaches to creative industries trade and digital policies. Noormohamed met with Hyun-woo Kim from the Seoul Business Agency to discuss each country's respective approaches to supporting their creative industries in global markets. 

Team Canada's trade mission has laid the groundwork for more Canada-South Korea creative business opportunities. Canadian Heritage will continue to work closely with creative industry professionals to support their export projects and business endeavours.

"This initiative is creating more opportunities to expand the strong ties between Canada and South Korea through increased cultural exchanges, collaboration, dialogue and projects. This trade mission, during the Year of Cultural Exchanges between Canada and Korea, provides a springboard for the creative industries in both countries to deepen their cultural ties and increase trade. Thanks to my Parliamentary Secretary, Taleeb Noormohamed, for helping lead this effort and support Canada's cultural impact on the world stage."

—The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"Our Canadian cultural sector is a key economic driver at home and around the world. The Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea was a testament to our dedication to expanding international business development opportunities. This mission was a great platform for Canadian creative businesses to increase their visibility, establish vital connections, and reach business deals with key industry players. Our connections made through Canada's creative industries help to strengthen relationships with our South Korean counterparts."

—Taleeb Noormohamed, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Team Canada's trade mission creative industries delegation included CoPilot Co., E.D. Films, Graffiti+, HCXR, PHI Studio, Realmeta Studios, Ballinran Entertainment, Banger Films, Ceres Productions, Interleave Inc., Landslide Entertainment, Pillango Productions, Rhombus Media, SC Productions, Sinking Ship Entertainment, Studio X Labs, Zone3 International, Creative Saskatchewan, Music Publishers Canada, Racial Equity Screen Office, Stingray Group and the Vancouver Asian Film Festival.

In 2021, South Korea was Canada's 10th largest creative export market, with $96.7 million in cultural trade. The audiovisual and interactive digital media industries generated the highest export revenues for Canada in South Korea, totalling more than $33.3 million in exports in 2021, representing 34 percent of Canada's total exports to this market.

From February 28 to March 2, 2023, Canadian Heritage organized a virtual trade mission to South Korea. The mission attracted 155 Canadian organizations from all creative industries and 64 Korean organizations, which led to 89 business-to-business meetings. The high participation rate and engagement confirmed the strong interest Canada's creative industries have in this market.

In 2023, Canada and South Korea celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations. To mark this important milestone, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and Yoon Suk-yeol, President of the Republic of South Korea, designated 2024-2025 as the Year of Cultural Exchanges between Canada and Korea.

Canada and South Korea have a longstanding audiovisual coproduction relationship, dating back to a 1995 television coproduction agreement. The Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea provided an excellent opportunity to deepen the ties between each country's audiovisual industry and advance the work on a modernized treaty that will create new opportunities for partnerships between the respective industries.

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Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea 

In partnership with Global Affairs Canada: Canadian creative industries join the Team Canada Trade Mission to South Korea

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Creative Export Strategy

SOURCE Canadian Heritage