Photo courtesy of Galaxy World.	Photo courtesy of HanHo Company Ltd.
As more U.S. productions are being produced electronically, the Korean studios are responding by expanding their digital facilities.

One other note, North Korea has joined the South in the animation industry. SEK is a state owned and operated animation studio in North Korea with a staff of 500 people. We haven't heard too much about this company in the U.S. up until now, and we couldn't do business with them legally, but the French can and do. Currently this studio is producing 26 half-hours a year at a very competitive price for European producers. I suspect that it may not be long before political differences are put aside and business interests are addressed between the two Koreas.

Closing Thoughts
It seems that Korean animation is in the same or better position than U.S. animation. As long as someone is buying new television shows, Korea will continue to be called upon to produce them. The Korean producers also have Europe to look to for work, and potentially interesting relationships, should the U.S. and Canadian market slow up. After 30 years in this business, I've learned that nothing stays the same, but I think the Korean industry is still very strong and most importantly, flexible enough to weather a few off-years should they come along.