S. Korea aims to bring design to everyday life: culture minister

Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea aims to pursue a cultural policy that brings people-friendly designs to the spaces of everyday life, the culture minister said Wednesday.

"The government is pursuing a cultural policy aimed at restructuring the space of
our daily lives into a more human and culture-centered one, as opposed to the
past, when too much emphasis was laid on development and efficiency," said Yu
In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Yu attended a Seoul forum on Wednesday, held in line with "2008 Public Design
Expo," which opened on Tuesday for a five-day run.
The event this week was hosted by South Korea's culture ministry to raise
awareness of public design.
"Recently, local authorities across South Korea have been setting up a department
solely responsible for public design and actively carrying out projects by
enacting related rules and regulations," Yu said.
"Cooperating with the design industry and the legislature, the incumbent
administration will make an environment where you can take pleasure in culture in
your everyday life," Yu said.
"The value of public design lies not just in seeking aesthetic beauty through
environmental cleaning and improving the competitiveness of a city and a nation,
but in valuing the quality of life above all."