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South Korea's booming movie industry is likely to send more work New Zealand's way as a result of President Roh Moo-hyun's state visit.
Mr Roh and first lady Kwon Yang-suk yesterday visited Peter Jackson's post-production facility, Park Road Post, in Wellington. The delegation will be in Auckland today.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade north Asia division director David Taylor said New Zealand wanted to develop film industry ties.
Korean film-makers had injected about $10 million into New Zealand over five years and the level of investment was set to increase.
"Looking to next year, there are about five projects on the books for Korean films being produced or post-produced here. The relationship is going from strength to strength."
South Korea's Daesung Group co-financed the comedy-horror venture Black Sheep, a yet-to-be released film in which sheep turn nasty.
Key scenes in the Korean films South Pole Diary and Silmido were shot in New Zealand.
The two countries signed an audiovisual arrangement last year and host film festivals of each other's work.
Steps to a co-production agreement have been made since Prime Minister Helen Clark visited Korea in 2003.
Mr Taylor said: "We would like to have a formal [co-production] agreement. Whether we can do that in the short term or whether that's a longer term goal is something we haven't really ascertained yet."
Screen Production and Development Association chief executive Penelope Borland welcomed closer ties and said international funding agreements were essential for the New Zealand industry.
"We have little private investment [and rely] on international investment."
