[2025 Audit] Regional Arts Support Project Budget Slashed by 80% from 4.8 Billion Won to 1 Billion Won

Jung Byungguk, Chairman of the Korea Arts & Culture Committee. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Jin Jongoh, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the People Power Party, pointed out during the audit of the Korea Arts & Culture Commission held on the 22nd, "The Ministry of Economy and Finance has drastically reduced the budget for the Regional Arts Advancement Support Project from 4.8 billion won to 1 billion won," adding, "This directly contradicts the original purpose of the project, which is to revitalize regional artistic creation."

The Regional Arts Advancement Support Project is a "regional-central linked arts support project" in which the central government supports outstanding creative works discovered in the regions and helps spread them nationwide. Within the regional arts community, it has been evaluated as a model that provides artists, who often lack creative infrastructure, with opportunities to expand nationwide.

However, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance's 2026 budget explanation materials confirmed by Assemblyman Jin, the budget for this project has been cut by about 80%, from 4.8 billion won to 1 billion won. The Ministry cited as the reason for the reduction that "half of the project budget must be shared by local governments."

In reality, however, there are significant differences in cultural infrastructure and budget conditions between regions. According to data submitted to Assemblyman Jin by the Korea Arts & Culture Commission, the number of performances by region in 2023 was overwhelmingly high in Seoul, with 73,000 cases. In contrast, Gangwon had only 1,443 cases, and Sejong had 392. In the field of exhibitions as well, Seoul had 6,289 cases, while Jeju had 382 and Sejong had 150, indicating a large gap.

Assemblyman Jin criticized, "Reducing the budget to 1 billion won even before evaluating the achievements of the first year of the project is effectively a move to neutralize the project," and added, "In a situation where the proportion of cultural and arts budgets is lower in financially weaker local governments, requiring local matching funds is a decision that ignores reality."

He continued, "The true balanced development of culture is when excellent regional creations are spread nationwide and overseas," and emphasized, "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts & Culture Commission must work closely together to promptly restore the budget and supplement the system."

In response, Jung Byungguk, Chairman of the Korea Arts & Culture Commission, stated, "If local government matching is a prerequisite, regions with poor finances will not be able to implement the project at all," and added, "During discussions with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, we will fully explain the positive responses from regional artists and the necessity of the project."