The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST) announced its achievements in the fields of culture, arts, sports, and tourism as well as  future policy directions to mark two and a half years since the launch of the YOON Suk Yeol administration.

❶ Cheong Wa Dae, Back to the Hearts of the Korean People! Transformed as a National Landmark with Over 6.58 Million Visitors

Since its opening to the public in May 2022, the former presidential residence, Cheong Wa Dae, has been transformed into a multifaceted cultural hub, centering around four pillars of content: history, culture and the arts, cultural heritage, and tree exploration. The landmark has already hosted more than 100 programs, including concerts, special exhibitions, and art festivals for the disabled, providing a venue for Korean people to enjoy diverse cultural activities. Welcoming over 6.58 million visitors, Cheong Wa Dae has become a flagship destination that bridges urban and natural environments. In April 2023, the Cheong Wa Dae K-Tourism Landmark Proclamation Ceremony unveiled ten thematic walking tours that connect Cheong Wa Dae to other iconic cultural destinations and activities, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seochon and Bukchon Villages, museums, art galleries, and “K-Climbing.” Promotional efforts continue to date with the aim to attract more domestic and international visitors to the former presidential house and its surroundings.

❷ The Charm of K-Content Continues to Expand its Global Appeal!

The K-content industry, represented by K-pop, movies, and games, has achieved record-high sales (KRW 128 trillion in 2020 → KRW 151 trillion in 2022) and exports (USD 11.9 billion in 2020 → USD 13.2 billion in 2022). In particular, the government has expanded its policy financing for the content industry to KRW 1.74 trillion, the largest ever for the sector, to resolve its funding difficulties and support the creation of globally competitive content. Additional initiatives were rolled out in 2024 to further promote the global competitiveness of the content sector, including  a content budget of over KRW 1 trillion and expansion of the scope of tax deductions, with higher deduction rates for video content production costs. New cultural hubs were established overseas to further spread the influence of Korean culture, including the New York Korea Center (opened in June 2024) and the Osaka Korean Cultural Center (set to reopen in December 2024). In celebration of the Paris Olympics, a comprehensive Korean culture festival “Korea Season (May through November 2024)” was held to showcase the allure of Korean culture to the world. In September 2024, government plans were announced to expand exports of K-content and its related industries. The enactment of the Hallyu Industry Promotion Act followed in October, providing a solid framework to systematically foster and develop Hallyu and its associated sectors.

❸ Inclusive Yet Solid Cultural Welfare for All, Cultivating Future Generations through Culture

MCST has expanded support to ensure universal cultural access for all Korean people, leaving no room for blind spots in enjoying culture. Subsidies offered through integrated cultural vouchers, which support low-income households to enjoy movies, performances, and exhibitions, were increased to KRW 130,000, with more than a 10% increase in the number of recipients to a total 2.58 million. Similarly, support for the Sports Class Voucher program has grown by over 30%, now providing KRW 100,000 (KRW 110,000 for individuals with disabilities) to 140,000 individuals. Also, the Ministry actively supported artists with disabilities to engage in cultural activities. The First Basic Plan for Supporting Cultural and Artistic Activities for Artists with Disabilities was established in September 2022, while the Modu Art Theater (literally translated “art theater for everyone”) was opened in October 2023, offering universal access and convenience to artists as well as visitors with disabilities. With the aim to foster cultural experiences, imagination, and creativity in younger generations, the Youth Culture and Arts Pass was introduced in 2024 as the first nationwide program of its kind, offering stipends for performance and exhibition admissions (maximum KRW 150,000 per year) to 160,000 nineteen-year-olds.

❹ Ensuring a Creative Environment of Boundless Innovation

MCST has actively supported the establishment of an ecosystem where artists can freely engage in and realize their creative ideas. The Art Korea Lab, launched in October 2023, provides comprehensive support for experimentation, demonstration, distribution, and even opening of business ventures for technology-integrated productions by artists and art companies. In March 2024, plans were announced to unveil a “Performing Arts Belt” connecting Namsan, Seogye-dong, and Myeong-dong, along with the Mapo-Hongdae Consolidated Art Belt. Moreover, to nurture world-class artists and works, such as this year’s Nobel Literature laureate Hang Kang and her works, the Ministry revamped its support framework for fine arts. This includes a comprehensive and systematic art support framework that extends from planning to production, domestic distribution, and global expansion,  including long-term post-production support to develop works into repertoires for ongoing long-term performances. An “accountable (or dedicated) reviewer process” was implemented across major institutions to ensure professionalism and accountability in the evaluation of publicly funded art projects for the identification and development of outstanding artists and artworks.

❺ Establishing a Foundation for Korea’s Re-emergence as a Sports Powerhouse

Successful achievements in international sports events have elevated the global reputation of Korea’s sports. At the Paris Olympics, the national team reaped the best results since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, finishing in 8th place overall. The 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics was also a success, with participation by 2,700 athletes from 78 countries. To ensure such feats translate into public engagement in everyday sports, the Ministry is promoting programs like Sports Activity Incentives, providing lifestage-specific support for lifelong engagement in sports activities as well as direct benefits for those participating. Measures were taken to create a culture of voluntary participation in sports activities, including the decision to expand the scope of cultural expense tax deductions to include the costs of using  everyday sports facilities such as swimming pools and fitness centers (to be implemented July 1,2025). Furthermore, efforts are underway to address deep-rooted and outdated practices in the sports sector by auditing and investigating sports associations, as well as to improve transparency and fairness in sports administration by strengthening oversight of subsidized programs.

❻ Traveling to Every Corner of Korea, Revitalizing Economy with Tourism

MCST has also focused on reviving domestic tourism by helping the sector to overcome the heavy impacts of COVID-19 while also stimulating domestic consumption and regional economies. Over 3.35 million accommodation discount vouchers were distributed as of 2024, which in turn generated approximately KRW 1.2 trillion in travel-related spending. For the first time, the Ministry held a nationwide Travel Month campaign during the off-seasons in March, June, and November of 2024. This campaign resulted in a dramatic 15.4% increase in domestic travel spending year-on-year (as of June 2024). MCST also strategically declared the 2023–2024 Visit Korea Year to attract and win back international visitors. As global travelers started to revitalize the inbound tourism sector in 2024, tourism events targeted for international visitors were held throughout the year. These included the Korea Grand Sale (January–February), Korea Beauty Festival (June), and a large-scale Hallyu Tour Festival (October). As a result, the number of inbound international visitors exceeded 12.13 million as of September 2024, signaling a gradual recovery to pre-pandemic levels.

❶ Crises of Rural Depopulation, Low Birth Rates, and Social Inequality: Tackling Social Issues through Culture

The Ministry plans to uplift the role of culture in resolving the pressing social issues of rural depopulation and declining birth rates. Each city under the Korea Cultural Cities initiative will receive an investment of KRW 20 billion for three years starting next year to produce tangible results utilizing the cultural resources unique to each region. Additional plans include the development of leading regional arts organizations and the creation of an environment where artworks and content with local color can be produced via projects aimed at developing region-specific content.

❷ From AI Innovation to Global Expansion: A Grand Future Led by Culture

MCST plans to implement the Content Sector Future Strategy in the AI Era (2025) in tandem with a rational regulatory framework for the protection of creators’ rights, including those related to AI and copyright. In 2025, a new Global League Fund will be launched to attract foreign investment to support yet another leap ahead for the Korean content sector. Plans are also underway to build a comprehensive K-content cultural hub at a global scale. The introduction of the Year of Korea–Japan–China Cultural Exchange in 2025 is expected to further boost cultural exchanges among the three nations. Additionally, Korea Season will be hosted to further promote Korean culture for those countries with high potential for spreading Korean culture and arts.

❸ “Boldly Breaking Old Habits” – Sports Innovation Project

During the event held in August to encourage Team Korea for the Paris Olympics, President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the need to “boldly innovate outdated practices to create a free and fair training environment.” To this end, MCST plans to establish a new Sport Innovation Support Division (tentative) to eradicate the unfair practices in the sports sector uncovered through audits and investigations of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, Korea Football Association, and Badminton Korea Association, and to ensure a transparent sports administrative framework. Legal and regulatory reforms will take place where reappointment reviews of sports organization executives will be delegated to an independent body, while the disciplinary authority for such executives are to be escalated. Moreover, a portion of the local sports promotion budget (KRW 41.6 billion), previously managed through the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, will be reallocated to regional cooperation projects to offer customized programs for local communities.

 ❹ Enriching Lives and Revitalizing Regional Areas: Changing the World through Tourism

MCST plans to shift the basis of its tourism policies by relocating the growth focus of Korean tourism from the capital to regional areas. Tourism-related laws and regulations will be revised to support the decentralization era, while innovations will be introduced to the tourism sector to foster the tourism ecosystem of local communities. To promote regional tourism, a new small-scale tourism complex program will be implemented (effective April 2025) that allows relaxed facility requirements for regions with declining populations. Other policy initiatives include the designation of the “Want-to-Visit K-Tourism Islands” (2023–2026) and the “K-Tourism Relaxation Belt” (beginning in 2024) that are designed to encourage investment in regional tourism. To promote longer stays and increased spending by international visitors to Korea, the Ministry plans to further expand experience-based tour content such as cross-country bike tours and historical site tours. These efforts will continue to be expanded to deliver tourism content that showcases what makes Korea and all of its regions worth visiting.