By Kim Young-gyo
HONG KONG, Jan. 3 (Yonhap) -- Taiwan's national broadcasting regulator has ordered a local TV station to cut its broadcast time for Korean dramas in a bid to encourage development of local content, officials said Tuesday.

   Upon the request of the Taiwanese National Communications Commission (NCC), Gala Television (GTV) will reduce the proportion of South Korean shows on its soap opera-dedicated channel starting in June, NCC officials said.

   South Korea's television shows and pop singers have become increasingly popular in neighboring countries, such as Japan, China and Taiwan, a phenomenon called "hallyu."

   However, anti-hallyu sentiment has recently been sparked in Japan and Taiwan where South Korean culture has become common fixtures in TV, news, magazines and popular music.
Critics of hallyu argued there is not much room for homegrown contents to grow due to the overwhelming South Korean cultural products in their countries.

   GTV will be the first TV broadcaster in Taiwan to comply with such a requirement.

   Its drama channel must air domestic content for at least one hour between 6 p.m. and midnight on weekdays.

   The number of hours for non-South Korean dramas should be increased from at least one hour to two hours, with the average number of hours for non-South Korean dramas set at one and half hours a day, the commission said.

   The overall percentage for domestic programs aired by the channel must not be less than 20 percent, it added.

   ygkim@yna.co.kr
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