The Korea Communications Commission and the Korea Press Foundation announced that they will host the “2024 Media Literacy Week” nationwide for six days starting today (21st). The “2024 Media Literacy Week” event is organized in conjunction with UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy Week to highlight the importance of media education.
The event’s slogan is “Smart! Media Education – Understanding and Enjoying Media Wisely,” and as part of the event, the Korea Communications Commission and the Korea Press Foundation plan to focus on “deepfake crime prevention” education nationwide. Specifically, 12 media centers will conduct prevention education at 48 institutions targeting approximately 1,100 individuals, explaining the dangers of deepfakes, countermeasures, and the importance of media ethics.
On the first day, an international media literacy conference will be held at COEX in Seoul. During this conference, Julian Sefton-Green (a professor at Deakin University) will give a keynote lecture on “Digital Spaces for Children.” Experts from four countries—Europe, Australia, the United States, and Korea—will share research findings on children’s use of media, including gaming, play, learning, and communication, and propose solutions for creating a digital media environment that reflects children’s perspectives.
On the 22nd, 25th, and 26th, media education relay seminars will be held at various media centers nationwide, focusing on topics such as “Directions of Media Education in the AI Era and Strengthening the Competency of Teachers and Instructors.” On the 23rd, the 6th Media Education Best Practices Contest award ceremony and a workshop to enhance instructors’ skills will be held at the Gyeonggi Media Center. On the 24th, a performance presentation on community media education will be held, where local community media education examples will be shared.
Choi Chul-ho, Chairman of the Korea Press Foundation, expressed hope that this Media Literacy Week event will serve as an opportunity to recognize the importance of media education, stating, “We will continue our efforts to ensure that citizens are equipped to use media correctly so that they can live safely and wisely in the digital environment.”
Kim Tae-kyu, Acting Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, noted, “While the advancement of digital media has positive aspects such as increased access and convenience in media production and communication, negative aspects like media disparity and deepfake victimization co-exist across different social classes and regions. We will actively support media literacy education at the national level to ensure that all citizens can use media safely and correctly, enriching their daily lives.”