The Korea Creative Content Agency on Thursday announced plans to expand support for local companies hoping to export and promote media content overseas.

“The KOCCA has been conducting diverse online projects that reflect different demands to support the local industry that cannot continue their offline businesses due to COVID-19,” KOCCA official Lee Do-hyung said in a statement. “Through online support programs, we will further diversify the current exporting markets and hold market events to connect Korean video content makers with foreign buyers.”

To help South Korean content make inroads into new markets such as the Middle East, North Africa and India, the agency will hold an online business-matching event in June and invite foreign streaming platform operators and TV broadcasters.

In October, the agency plans to hold another event to introduce local content to mainly Indian buyers.

The agency explained that after supporting local participants in recent online international marketing events, it had discovered significant global demand for Korean content.

In March, 28 Korean content creators participated in an online event called the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, with some assistance from the content agency.

At that event, Korean content exporters signed deals with global buyers worth a combined $9 million -- a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

The agency also added that it would continue to provide opportunities to local content creators to screen their video content through diverse foreign online media platforms.

In February it supported the participation of 56 programs in a promotional screening event held via the websites of foreign media companies such as C21Media, the Hollywood Reporter, TV Latina and BroadcastPRO. These included JTBC drama “The World of the Married,” KBS reality show “The Return of Superman” and MBC documentary “Meeting You.”

From April 23 to May 10 the agency is accepting applications from local content makers for a similar online promotional project. Applications may be submitted through its website, welcon.kocca.kr.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)