Anchor: The culture ministry will place this year's policy focus on nation branding and improving the competitiveness of Korean cultural contents in overseas markets. In a policy briefing Thursday, the ministry told the president about its plans to overcome harsher entry barriers put in place to curtail the popularity of Korean dramas, pop music and other cultural products.
Our Kim In-kyung has more.
 
Report: The South Korean government plans to diversify its Korean Wave policies to fit specific demands from each importing country. 
 
In a joint policy briefing on Thursday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported to the president about its "Korean Wave 3.0" policy package.
 
The plan calls for strengthening the global competitiveness of Korean culture products amid concerns that the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, culture boom overseas is waning.
 
Within the first half of this year, the government will establish a civil-governmental Korean Wave policy planning board to develop plans for various import nations. It will draw a "Korean Wave map" analyzing the features of the phenomenon by country.
 
In the face of growing import barriers against Korean dramas, pop music and other cultural products in China, for example, the ministry also plans to establish a 200-billion-won Korea-China joint development fund this year for co-production projects.
 
Also to boost the underestimated value of Korean products, the ministry aims to raise South Korea's national brand ranking from 27th in 2014 to 20th or higher after 2015. 
 
To achieve the goal, the ministry said it will begin by improving the nation's image by developing a new national brand and unifying symbols that represent the government this year. The new brand will be used in promoting the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and other upcoming international events.

South Korea placed 13th in the world in terms of its gross domestic product last year, but only 27th in its national brand ranking among 50 developed countries according to German pollster GfK.
Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.