South Korean Ministry of Culture proposes 9.6 trillion won budget

The South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced a 2027 budget proposal totaling 9.6345 trillion won. This represents a 22.6% increase from the 2026 budget of 7.8555 trillion won, marking the first time the ministry's budget has exceeded the 9 trillion won threshold.

The proposed allocation includes 3.8545 trillion won for culture and arts (a 44.6% increase), 1.7719 trillion won for content (9.5% increase), 1.7581 trillion won for tourism (18.8% increase), and 1.8333 trillion won for sports (7.9% increase).

Key initiatives include the expansion of the ‘Youth Culture Pass,’ which will provide 100,000 to 150,000 won annually to citizens aged 19 to 34 for cultural and sports activities. The budget also prioritizes the renovation of aging public sports facilities, increasing support from 95.3 billion won to 255.8 billion won. Additionally, the plan aims to strengthen the social safety net for artists through increased support for health checkups, national pensions, and industrial accident insurance.