From Heritage Restoration to Curatorship... 100 Young Aspiring Professionals Sought

Cultural Heritage Administration Accepting Internship Applications Until February 1
A "Career Stepping Stone" with On-Site Experience Starting in March

The Cultural Heritage Administration and the National Heritage Center announced on January 14 that they will be accepting applications for the "2026 National Heritage Industry Internship" program from January 16 to February 1.

This program serves as a bridge by providing young people who aspire to work in related fields with hands-on experience, while connecting the industry, which faces recruitment challenges, with outstanding talent. Its effectiveness was verified last year when it received an "Excellent" rating in the government’s evaluation of publicly funded job programs.

Selected interns will be assigned to specialized fields. The workplaces consist of 100 institutions carefully chosen through a preliminary selection process, and the five fields are: ▲national heritage restoration ▲utilization ▲cultural product development ▲museums and art galleries ▲excavation and research. Successful applicants will be deployed to each site from March to August for a six-month period to build practical skills.

Applicants must be South Korean citizens between the ages of 19 and 39. There are no restrictions regarding educational background or major. However, for the restoration and excavation/research fields, which require specialized expertise, only applicants with relevant majors will be considered, and a limited competition will be conducted. Additional points will be given to vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities and those from low-income households.

Final matched interns will sign an employment contract directly with the assigned institution. Since salary levels and benefits differ by institution, applicants are advised to carefully review the institution profiles attached to the announcement before applying. Applications can only be submitted through the National Heritage Center’s recruitment platform.

An official from the Cultural Heritage Administration said, "We hope this will be an opportunity for young people to enhance their professional skills and for the industry to gain renewed vitality."