Policy Suggestions for Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate Lee Jae-myung
“Games are a creative industry, not a disease… A new governance is needed”
On the 27th, the Democratic Party of Korea’s Game Special Committee, which was launched this March, held a press conference at the National Assembly and presented nine game policy proposals. These proposals include deferring the introduction of a disease code for gaming disorder and establishing a dedicated organization for the game industry.
During the press conference, the committee announced that after collecting various opinions from the industry over three months, they came up with nine tasks, including ▲deferring the adoption of a disease code for gaming disorder ▲governance restructuring ▲increased support for small and indie game developers ▲promotion of global expansion ▲activation of financial investment ▲system improvements for promoting the game industry ▲support policies for the development of the e-sports industry ▲improving game perception and expanding user benefits.
The committee particularly highlighted that until there is objective evidence, the domestic adoption of gaming disorder as a disease should be deferred. They plan to pursue long-term research to verify the validity of gaming disorder and support research on alternative models to address excessive gaming engagement through non-medical methods.
They suggested revising the game-related governance with a focus on user protection and industry promotion. The committee proposed restructuring the existing split roles of the Korea Creative Content Agency and the Game Rating and Administration Committee based on function or necessity, and mentioned the possibility of establishing a promotional agency for the game and e-sports industry.
Cho Seung-rae, vice chairman of the committee and a Democratic Party lawmaker, emphasized the need for the next administration to revamp the governance structure, acknowledging the changing times. He also mentioned their intention to eliminate the unclear pre-review system and to include this in their pledges.
Regarding the legalization of blockchain-based Play to Earn games, the committee stated that, although various discussions are needed, they currently oppose it.
The committee also announced plans to support the sustainable growth of the game and e-sports industries by operating specialized accounts within the government-backed funds, expanding the scope of tax credits, and supporting regional infrastructure. They aim to enhance nurturing policies across the e-sports ecosystem, including tax benefits.
Moreover, they plan to amend the name of the Game Industry Promotion Act to emphasize “culture” and to establish policies to improve societal perception of games through nationwide campaigns and global events.
They also intend to support research and development in various areas to foster the game industry and protect game users’ rights by preventing excessive gambling elements in probability-based items.
After the press conference, the special committee issued an official statement addressed to People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, urging him to clarify his stance on the introduction of a gaming disorder code.
In their statement, the committee expressed concern that Kim’s pledges on games only focused on the privatization and activation of functional games, and that the inclusion of ‘counseling for youth addiction problems and gambling games for children and adolescents’ in the welfare pledges may hint at the revival of the four major addiction laws.
They emphasized that games are leisure and job opportunities for young people, as well as a future growth industry, and defining it as a disease stigmatizes both the industry and its users. The committee insisted that Kim clarify his official position on game disorder codification.