On August 26 (local time), four Korean lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties visited gamescom 2026, which opened in Cologne, Germany. The delegation included Representatives Cho Seung-rae and Kim Seong-hoe of the Democratic Party of Korea, Representative Jeong Yeon-wook of the People Power Party, and Representative Lee Hae-min of the Rebuilding Korea Party.

Speaking to reporters on-site, Rep. Cho said, "To my knowledge, this is the first time the National Assembly has organized and sent a delegation to an international game show." Explaining the purpose of the visit as formulating policy support measures, Rep. Cho stated, "Gaming is a field where Korea has exercised influence and leadership globally, but recently there are concerns that the industry faces significant difficulties on multiple fronts. We are reflecting on how to provide policy support so the game industry can take another leap forward."

The direction regarding the pending full revision bill of the Game Industry Promotion Act was also discussed. Rep. Cho said, "I have asked the newly elected Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Chairperson Lee Jae-jung and ranking member Lee Jeong-mun to process it quickly." He added, "Since Rep. Jeong Yeon-wook is also on the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, bipartisan efforts will be combined to address mutually agreeable parts first. Even if areas requiring further discussion go through public consultation, any bill that benefits the gaming industry will be agreed upon and advanced swiftly."

Regarding whether the Democratic Party would form its 3rd Special Committee on Games, he answered, "The Democratic Party will form the Special Committee on Games." Rep. Cho noted, "I heard that Rep. Kim Seong-hoe, who served as chairperson of the previous Special Committee on Games, suggested to Party Leader Kim Min-seok that there is a need to quickly establish the 3rd committee."

Questions were also raised on whether G-STAR might be relatively sidelined as domestic game companies increase their participation in overseas game shows. Rep. Cho responded, "Releasing good titles and services for domestic players is also essential." He added, "To globalize the industry, we must not only expand overseas, but also create opportunities for foreign game companies to present their titles to Korean gamers. We must nurture both the domestic market and the global presence together."

Rep. Jeong, whose constituency includes Busan, the host city of G-STAR, stated, "I view gaming not as mere personal entertainment, but as a core capability of K-culture that needs to be developed. G-STAR should also be grown in that direction, positioning Korean gamers to hold the casting vote for players worldwide."

Rep. Cho cited identity as the key task for G-STAR. "There needs to be work done to refine G-STAR's own values and identity," he said. "Why game companies, developers, and players from across the nation must attend G-STAR is a matter of identity." He continued, "We need to prepare a message to convey to gamers and developers around the world. We will make efforts to complement it this year and build it even bigger next year."

When asked about the most impressive game on display, Rep. Cho pointed to KRAFTON's 'TARAE', saying, "I am looking forward to it as it beautifully expresses a Korean worldview." 'TARAE' is one of five new titles KRAFTON showcased at this year's gamescom.

Executives from Korean gaming companies also shared their thoughts at the venue. Nexon Korea Co-CEO Jung-wook Kim said, "gamescom is a venue where the global gaming industry assesses its future together. The achievements that domestic games are showing in the global market, including 'ARC Raiders' showcased by our subsidiary Embark Studios, demonstrate that K-games now stand in a position to set trends." CEO Kim added, "We aim to directly communicate with global partners and players to observe market shifts."

Smilegate CEO Joon-ho Sung remarked, "gamescom is the world's largest gaming event and an important venue to discuss various business opportunities with global partners. In particular, being able to directly gauge reactions from players to numerous new titles will provide a great opportunity as we prepare for the global launches of our own upcoming titles planned for next year and beyond. I believe it will help us observe rapidly changing trends in the global games market and industry developments while exploring new business opportunities."

KRAFTON CEO CH Kim stated, "We have been transitioning our pursuit of new titles across diverse genres and unique personalities into the execution phase. At this gamescom, we plan to demonstrate KRAFTON's direction of discovering new fun and engaging with global fans." CEO Kim added, "Based on our new title pipeline and creative leadership, we will continue to build franchise IPs capable of sustaining long-term growth."