Cultural Heritage Administration Sets 2025 Budget at 1.4624 Trillion Won, Up 5.4%

First World Heritage Committee to Be Held, Gyeongbokgung to Host Flagship Product Center
Tourism and Education Investment Expanded to Drive 'Top 5 Cultural Powerhouse' Initiative
"We Will Promote the Value of K-Heritage to the World"

The government budget proposal for the Cultural Heritage Administration for next year has been set at 1.4624 trillion won. This represents an increase of 5.4% (75 billion won) compared to this year's 1.3874 trillion won. Through a 106.5 billion won expenditure restructuring, existing projects have been streamlined to secure resources for the protection, utilization, and globalization of national heritage.

Heo Min, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, attended the full meeting of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held at the National Assembly on the 19th of last month to report on the fiscal year 2024 settlement. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On the 5th, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced that, based on the government proposal for the 2026 budget and funds passed by the Cabinet on the 29th of last month, it will pursue policies that the public can directly experience and promote the globalization of national heritage. The plan is to go beyond simple preservation and make national heritage a future growth engine.

The budget is allocated as follows: 556 billion won for restoration and preservation infrastructure, 253.7 billion won for policy, 98.7 billion won for cultural heritage, 88.6 billion won for natural and intangible heritage, 78.2 billion won for world heritage, 103.8 billion won for education, research, and exhibitions, and 128.5 billion won for royal tomb management. Major increases include 26 billion won for restoration and preservation infrastructure, 11.9 billion won for the establishment of a branch of the National Intangible Heritage Center, and 8.7 billion won to support the construction of transmission education centers.

Heo Min, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, stated, "Next year's investment goal can be summarized as 'A strong foundation for a cultural powerhouse, spreading the value of national heritage,'" adding, "We will create new value through policies that the public can feel and strategies that can compete confidently on the international stage."

17.8 Billion Won for Hosting the World Heritage Committee for the First Time

The largest new project is the 17.8 billion won allocated for hosting the 48th World Heritage Committee. This is the first time Korea will host the event since joining the World Heritage Convention, bringing together around 3,000 participants, including government representatives from 196 countries, international organizations, and NGOs, in Busan. The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to use this not just as a meeting, but as an opportunity to step onto the international cultural stage.

The 47th World Heritage Committee On-site [Photo by National Heritage Agency]

Other new initiatives include 11.1 billion won for international development cooperation (ODA), 6.2 billion won for the operation of the International Center for World Heritage Interpretation and Explanation and the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Intangible Heritage Center, and 2.2 billion won for supporting UNESCO trust funds. The administration aims to strengthen Korea's status as a global cultural powerhouse through these efforts.

At Gyeongbokgung Palace, the most visited site by domestic and international tourists, a flagship national heritage product center will be established. Of the total project cost of 16.8 billion won, 800 million won will be allocated next year for design. A Cultural Heritage Administration official explained, "Although overseas demand for traditional cultural products has increased, there has been no space to showcase them at a glance. This measure addresses that issue," adding, "It will become a landmark of K-Culture."

Expanded Investment in Tourism and Education

Investment in tourism and education will also increase. 21.1 billion won will be allocated to national heritage utilization projects that highlight regional characteristics, and 8.7 billion won will be invested in the National Heritage Visit Campaign. The current ten visit courses will be expanded by three, and the number of key sites will increase from 76 to 100. The administration aims to issue a cumulative total of 700,000 National Heritage Passports by 2026.

Heo Min, Commissioner of the Cultural Heritage Administration, visited Seokguram Grotto located in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, on July 19 to inspect the damage caused by heavy rain that partially washed away the entrance road, and then checked the preservation status of the main Buddha statue. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The budget also includes 5.5 billion won for the World Heritage Festival, 4.3 billion won for the Royal Tombs Festival, 1 billion won for operating the Year of National Heritage Visits, 800 million won for developing and distributing children's national heritage programs, 3.5 billion won for education for the socially disadvantaged, and 2 billion won for palace invitation programs.

Funding for safety management to respond to climate crises and disasters has also been secured. 29.7 billion won is allocated for disaster safety management of national heritage, 19 billion won for establishing disaster prevention systems at royal tombs, 10.8 billion won for emergency repairs, 20.8 billion won for care projects, and 21.1 billion won for supporting archaeological heritage surveys.

Commissioner Heo stated, "This reflects the government's determination to develop K-Content into a global brand and open a 300 trillion won K-Culture market," pledging, "We will do our utmost to widely promote the value of K-Heritage to the world."

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