[2024 Budget Proposal] Emphasis on Repairs and Maintenance by Cultural Heritage Administration for 'National Heritage Conversion'

Next Year's Budget 1.3489 Trillion KRW... Decrease of 1.9 Billion KRW
Maintenance and Repair Budget Increased by 46.9 Billion KRW... 510.3 Billion KRW
Realizing National Heritage Welfare Aimed at Coexistence with the People

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced on the 29th that the budget for next year has been set at 1.3489 trillion won, following the government budget and fund proposal passed at the Cabinet meeting. This is about 1.9 billion won less than this year's 1.3508 trillion won. The Cultural Heritage Administration explained, "This is the result of financial innovation, regulatory reform, and expenditure restructuring in line with the government's sound fiscal policy."

On the 22nd, at Deokdeokjeon in Deoksugung, Jung-gu, Seoul, Choi Eung-cheon, the Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, and other distinguished guests who attended the commemorative plaque unveiling ceremony for the reconstruction of Dondeokjeon are taking a commemorative photo after the ceremony. Dondeokjeon, which was demolished during the Japanese colonial period, was built as a venue for the 40th anniversary celebration of King Gojong's accession and was used as a guesthouse and audience hall for diplomacy during the Korean Empire period. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The field receiving the largest budget is cultural heritage preservation and protection. The budget was set at 814.5 billion won, including 593.7 billion won for preservation management, 92.4 billion won for protection, and 128.4 billion won for palace and royal tomb management. The establishment of a cultural heritage policy foundation received 182.3 billion won, cultural heritage utilization 96.1 billion won, cultural heritage education and research 79.2 billion won, and international cultural heritage exchange 56.4 billion won, respectively.

Among the major projects, the budget for repair and maintenance to preserve the original form of cultural heritage increased the most (46.9 billion won). The secured amount is 510.3 billion won. The support amount for the reduction of cultural heritage admission fees charged to visitors at sixty-five temples increased by 13.3 billion won, from 42.1 billion won to 55.4 billion won. The budget for the construction of a branch of the National Intangible Heritage Center increased from 2.4 billion won to 11.1 billion won, and the budget for international cultural heritage cooperation increased from 4.8 billion won to 13.1 billion won.

Newly launched projects include support for diagnostic surveys of buried cultural heritage (5 billion won), establishment of a digital foundation for socially vulnerable groups (2.7 billion won), repair of Donhwamun Gate at Changdeokgung Palace (2 billion won), support funds for outstanding inheritors' transmission activities (1.7 billion won), establishment of a K-Public Heritage utilization foundation (1.5 billion won), surveys of cultural heritage in vulnerable areas (1.1 billion won), and construction of the National Intangible Heritage Transmission Education Center (200 million won).

On the 13th, officials were busy moving around the excavation site at Woldae and its surrounding areas in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Cultural Heritage Administration plan to open the tram rail excavation site, installed during the Japanese colonial period, to the public for three days from the 16th to the 18th. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Next year, as the foundation of cultural heritage administration and system shifts to 'national heritage,' the Cultural Heritage Administration aims for coexistence with the public. To this end, it plans to carry out various projects focusing on ▲realizing national heritage welfare accessible to all ▲introducing a protection system that the public empathizes with and participates in ▲strengthening the global role as a culturally advanced country.

The number of programs utilizing palaces, such as the Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour, Deoksugung Nighttime Seokjojeon, and the Changing of the Royal Guard Ceremony, will increase from 828 to 1,060. More digital cultural heritage content will be developed and distributed for socially marginalized groups. Support funds of 14.4 billion won will be invested to help intangible heritage transmitters continue the tradition of culture, and the construction of the National Intangible Heritage Transmission Education Center will be accelerated.

In addition, the Cultural Heritage Administration will invest 26 billion won in disaster safety management of cultural heritage to protect the value of national heritage from the recent climate crisis, 1.1 billion won for preservation management of cultural heritage in vulnerable areas, 3.7 billion won for emergency repairs of cultural heritage, 19 billion won for cultural heritage care projects, and 16.3 billion won for the establishment of disaster prevention systems for palaces and royal tombs.

To promote the value of our cultural heritage, 300 million won will be used for a survey of Korean cultural heritage held at the National Library of France, 1.2 billion won for the restoration of our heritage, 29.3 billion won for the registration and preservation management of World Heritage sites, 1 billion won for support to international organizations related to World Heritage, and 2.6 billion won for the operation of the UNESCO World Heritage International Interpretation and Explanation Center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.