Vice chair Lee Hyun-seung, a film director best known for the romance "Il mare," will carry out her duties until the end of the term.

A former journalist and editor at film magazine Cine21, An encouraged diversity in filmmaking and introduced measures to promote Korean films overseas.

In May, the newly renamed Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will select nine commissioners to oversee Kofic until 2011.

South Korea's new business-friendly president Lee Myung-bak has identified the contents industry as a key strategic sector for the future.

Nonetheless, it is still unclear whether Lee's campaign to shrink the size of government will extend to the film council.