Interview: 'Photo Promotion Act to Give Wings to South Korea's Visual Industry' Kang Jong-jin, Former Chairman of the Photo Industry Promotion Act Legislative Committee

Photography has evolved into a medium bridging everyday life, art, culture, and industry. With smartphones, anyone can now capture and consume photos, and the era of generative AI creating images without cameras has arrived. Though photography has become mainstream and ubiquitous, skilled professionals are scarce, and traditional markets persist only in name. Unlike film or publishing, photography hasn't established itself as an independent industry, with the sector blaming legislative gaps. The Photo Promotion Act, passed in May, provides a legal framework to position photography as a key pillar of South Korea's visual industry. Kang Jong-jin, who advocated for this for two decades, calls the law a catalyst for expanding photography into visual industries and securing global leadership.