한국 영화등급분류제도의 규제적 특징 연구

Abstract

In this article, I tried to investigate the controversies on the film rating system enforced right after IMF crisis and make its significance. The film censorship of Korea had been a means of government exercising power, and it certainly had problems. The censorship begun since Japanese colonial era has changed along with the trajectory of political history of Korea, and it has constantly faced the opposition demanding political democratization. A change of film policy after IMF crisis was not only a result of the external shock, but also of the interior transition. The abolition of film censorship and the improvement of film rating system were conducted in accordance with the liberalization policy of the time: A voluntary deliberation board was launched, and the inherent limitations of the system that still work as the censorship mechanism has been improved one by one. The full-scale restructuring of the system began in 1998 when Kim, Dae-Jung regime had started. During the regime, the rating system was partially reformed through the second amendment of Promotion of the Motion Pictures Industry Act. In 1999, ‘Korea Media Rating Board’was launched. And when the Restricted screening rate was introduced in 2002, the film rating system was to have the current structure. The biggest issue of the current rating system is the matter of‘Restricted screening rate. As the Restricted rate takes on the character of the de facto censorship, the issue of the authority of Rating Boards has been raised and the abolition of the Restricted rate has been demanded by film makers. To solve this problem, first of all, an autonomy of the Rating Boards should be guaranteed. And it is necessary to promote the mature culture of discussion which can help supporting the Boards. The freedom of expression of Film must be protected just like any other act of freedom. But it is hard to deny that there also needs to be a means of asking the liability and ethical responsibility of the film makers when they break the criminal law; this will take some time and a lot of effort.