Kim Dae Jung on Hallyu (Korean Wave)

Kim Dae Jung, as president, officially endorsed and implemented policies to foster the cultural industry, marking a significant shift in national strategy. In 1998, he proposed the "Culture as a Nation" policy, viewing the burgeoning Korean Wave as a means to boost the economy following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. His administration is noted for taking concrete steps to support this sector, including increasing the budget allocated to the cultural industry substantially between 1998 and 2001 to aid its expansion overseas. This initiative laid institutional groundwork for the subsequent growth of Hallyu.

This governmental push by the former president was strategic, aiming to convert cultural strength into diplomatic power and enhance the national image, which had previously been associated with conflict and poverty. While some later analyses suggest the overall success of Hallyu was an unintended "success without design," Kim Dae Jung's official proposal and budgetary actions represent a clear, top-down effort to institutionalize and promote Korean culture internationally. This early governmental focus on cultural exports provided essential, albeit perhaps not fully coordinated, support for the developing phenomenon.