Minister Choi Hwiyoung: "Cultural Budget Accounts for Only 1.32%... Very Disappointing"

Minister Choi Hwiyoung Expresses Regret Over Cultural Budget Proportion
Calls for Increase to 2% Amid Ongoing Challenges and Global Opportunities

Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, expressed regret over the fact that the proportion of the cultural budget, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, accounts for only 1.32% of the total government budget for next year, which passed the Cabinet meeting last week.

At a press conference marking one month since his inauguration, held on September 4 at Modu Arts Theater in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Minister Choi stated that he believes the share of the cultural budget should reach at least 2% in the long term, adding that he finds the current proportion very disappointing.

The cultural budget will increase by 9.2% next year, from 8.8 trillion won this year to 9.6 trillion won. However, as the overall budget grows, the share of the cultural budget in the total government budget will only rise from 1.31% this year to 1.32% next year, an increase of just 0.01 percentage points. The cultural budget refers to the sum of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s budget and the budgets related to culture, sports, and tourism in other ministries.

Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is speaking at a press conference held on the 4th at Modu Arts Theater in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, marking one month since his inauguration.
Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Minister Choi stated, "The proportion of the cultural budget in Korea's national budget ranks in the lower-middle among OECD countries," and added, "There is so much work to be done, and there are so many things that cannot be postponed, so I find this very disappointing."

Minister Choi also noted, "Because I was appointed late, I did not have enough time to review the detailed contents of the budget proposal submitted by the government to the National Assembly," and added, "I intend to supplement many items in detail during the regular National Assembly session this fall."

Minister Choi mentioned last week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) High-Level Dialogue on the Cultural Industry held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, saying that it confirmed the world’s high level of interest in Korean culture. He emphasized that, through exchanges with countries seeking cultural cooperation with Korea, he realized that such interactions could create jobs for young artists, calling it a golden opportunity. However, he also noted that after taking office on July 31 and visiting various cultural and artistic sites, he sensed a sense of crisis in the field. He pointed out several areas in need of improvement, including outdated laws and systems, the resulting lack of proper support, and insufficient budgets.

Minister Choi first mentioned the currently stagnant film industry. He stated that this year, the number of moviegoers is expected to fall short of 100 million, and there may be fewer than 20 films with a net production cost exceeding 3 billion won, indicating a lack of investment. Minister Choi specifically cited the example of former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lee Changdong, who is producing his new film "Possible Love" with investment from Netflix. He explained, "Director Lee Changdong applied for a production support fund from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and received a certain amount of funding, but since he could not secure the remaining investment, he ended up returning the ministry’s support and accepting investment from Netflix."

Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (center), is answering questions at a press conference held one month after his inauguration on the 4th at the Modu Arts Theater in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, together with Kim Youngsoo, First Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Kim Daehyun, Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Regarding outdated laws, Minister Choi referred to the Promotion of the Motion Pictures and Video Products Act, which only recognizes films as such if they are screened in theaters. He stressed, "I think we need to revise the laws and systems quickly," and added, "Outdated frameworks still persist, and we must change them to be future-oriented as soon as possible."

Minister Choi also addressed the lack of performance infrastructure. He said, "Japan has 34 indoor concert halls with more than 10,000 seats, while Korea has only eight." He continued, "Many concerts are also held in dome stadiums. Japan already has five dome stadiums with a capacity of over 40,000 and is building another, but Korea does not have a single one."

Minister Choi emphasized that, as the new government aims to become one of the world’s top five cultural powers, he feels a great sense of responsibility as the minister in charge. He said, "Compared to the remarkable achievements of K-Culture, our circumstances are very difficult and the reality is tough. I will do my utmost to ensure that this golden opportunity we are facing is not lost, and that we can make the most of it."