The office of the U.S. Trade Representative says South Korea’s screen quota system is hampering U.S. film exporters’ success in Korea.

In a report disclosed on its Web site Friday, the U.S. trade office said that government regulations in a number of countries --- including South Korea, Spain and China --- create market access barriers specific to the film and television industry.

The report quoted industry insiders as saying that screen quotas reduce export opportunities by lowering the number of slots available for theatrical exhibition of foreign films.
In 2006, Seoul reduced the number of days a year that Korean theaters must show domestic films to 73 from 146 in line with the increased popularity of local productions.

The report also said that small U.S. firms reported cultural and language barriers to exporting and that it is vital for small U.S. firms and other U.S. exporters to become proficient in “the new languages of trade,” specifically Korean, Portuguese, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin and Arabic. The report said the languages are spoken in emerging markets that are poised to increase their share of U.S. imports.