Actor Youn Yuh-jung has been invited to join the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is shown here on April 25 at Union Station in Los Angeles after winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at this year's Academy Awards. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Minji

Actor Youn Yuh-jung has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of the U.S.

The organization, which gives out the Academy Awards, on July 1 announced 395 invitees that included seven members from the indie film "Minari" including actors Youn, Han Ye-ri and Steven Yeun and director Lee Isaac Chung.

If Youn accepts the invitation, she can vote for winners of the awards, either people or works. As of last year, the academy had 9,362 members.

Last year, 12 cast members and production staff from the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" were invited for membership including actors Choi Woo-shik, Cho Yeo-jeong and Park So-dam, composer Jung Jae-il and screenwriter Han Jin-won.

Fifty Korean actors and film professionals are academy members, with the nation's first joining in 2015 in directors Im Kwon-taek and Bong Jooh-ho and actors Choi Min-sik and Song Kang-ho.

kimmj7725@korea.kr