Korean Sport & Olympic Committee Expresses Regret Over Exclusion of Sports Sector from Government Supplementary Budget

On April 3, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee expressed deep regret that the supplementary budget proposed by the government did not include any funding for the sports sector. The committee called on the government to recognize sports as a key policy area for public health, stability of people's livelihoods, and job creation, and to include related funding in the supplementary budget.

On April 2, the government submitted a supplementary budget bill totaling 26.2 trillion won to the National Assembly, aiming to support economic recovery and stabilize livelihoods. The supplementary budget included about 580 billion won for fields such as culture, arts, content, and tourism.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee pointed out that the exclusion of the sports sector from the government budget is concerning, especially since sports serve as a foundational policy for enhancing public health, reducing medical expenses, protecting youth, and restoring local communities. The committee requested that the government and the National Assembly incorporate "people-oriented sports projects" that directly impact the public, such as: ▲ expanding support for community sports instructors to create jobs and strengthen sports services ▲ providing low-cost, high-quality sports programs to increase participation of children and adolescents in physical activities ▲ supporting snacks and training equipment for school sports teams nationwide.

Yoo Seungmin, President of the Korean Sports Council. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The committee also highlighted the problem of the National Sports Promotion Fund being used as a resource for culture, tourism, and film, stressing the need to maintain the fund's intended purpose and to establish principles for reinvesting in the sports sector.

Yoo Seungmin, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, stated, "Since the National Sports Promotion Fund was established to promote sports, even if it is used for other sectors, its purpose and policy intent must not be undermined," adding, "If transfers between funds are unavoidable, it is necessary to ensure that a certain proportion, corresponding to the contribution of the sports fund, is reinvested in the sports sector."

The labor union of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, 17 city and provincial sports councils, and 83 affiliated sports organizations also jointly expressed concern about the exclusion of sports funding from the supplementary budget, strongly urging that sports funding be included in this round of supplementary appropriations. They further requested institutional improvements from the government to prevent the exclusion of sports in future national fiscal operations. Emphasizing that sports are an essential public domain responsible for public health and social integration, they announced their intention to work together to reestablish the policy standing of sports and to secure a sustainable financial foundation for the sector.

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