[The Chosun Ilbo, January 10 2008] Gwangju Nurtures Animation Industry

When it comes to boosting their region's economies, local governments are thinking out of the box. Korea's southwestern city of Gwangju is nurturing the lucrative business of computer animation.

An animation blockbuster creates added-value business as characters become the ideas for arcade and handheld games, a TV cartoon series, stuffed animals and more.

Seeing the potential, the city of Gwangju has been funding the computer-generated imagery industry since 2006. The result is the mega-hit animation "Adventures of Hong Gil-dong" which landed on TV screens this week.

To make the 26 half-hour episodes of Korea's very own Robin Hood story, the producers sought US$4.5 million from the town of Jangseong in South Jeolla Province. Nearby Gwangju city took part by investing in the high-tech studio needed to make the film.