Lee Choong-jik (pictured) has been appointed chairman of the Korean Film Commission (KOFIC), the nation's foremost promotional body. Chang Mi-hee, a film professor and former actress, was named vice chairman.

A total of nine new commissioners were appointed to the organisation, seven of whom currently hold positions as film professors. Kim Hong-joon, festival director of the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan), is the only returning member of the original commission, appointed in May 1999.

Together, the nine commissioners will wield significant power in drafting and implementing film policy. KOFIC provides extensive financial and organisational support to the industry through its Domestic Promotion, International Promotion and Research and Development departments, and also encompasses the Korean Academy of Film Arts and the Seoul Studio Complex.

Incoming chairman Lee, a graduate of the Ecole Superieure de Realisation Audiovisuelle (ESRA) in France, has served as a programmer for the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) and a film professor at Joongang University. His tenure as chairman at FOFIC is fir three years. Vice chairman Chang is recognised as a leading actress from the 70s and 80s for films such as Deep Blue Night (1984), and has also served as vice chairman of the Film Actors Association of Korea.

Many in the industry have called for a more stable leadership at KOFIC following a turbulent three years that saw two chairmen resign and considerable infighting between so-called "old" and "new" generations of filmmakers.

KOFIC's new commissioners, May 2002 - May 2005

Lee Choong-jik (45), professor, Joongang University / programmer, Pusan International Film Festival.
Chang Mi-hee (45), actress / professor, Myungji University / vice chairman, Film Actors Association of Korea
Byun Chae-ran (41), professor, Sooncheonhyang University / Vice chairman, Women's Film Festival in Seoul
Kim Byung-heon (42), general manager, Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival
Kim Chang-yu (47), professor, Yongin University / chairman, Moving Image Technology Association of Korea.
Kim Hong-joon (46), festival director, Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival / professor, Seoul University of Arts / film director
Lee Min-yong (44), director, A Hot Roof (1995).
Min Byung-rok (52), professor, Dongkuk University / chairman, Film Studies Association of Korea
Yu Gina (42), film scholar / professor, Dongkuk University.