The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it had completed the New Year's work reports for all 59 affiliated and public institutions on January 16, which began on January 13.
The affiliated and public institutions under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism presented their work reports in four sessions. On January 16, the third and fourth sessions were held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, with a total of 17 institutions presenting in the morning and afternoon. In the morning, 15 institutions, including Korea National University of Arts and the National Folk Museum of Korea, reported in two divisions: arts, and regional & communication. In the afternoon, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Heritage Agency presented their reports.
In the first "Arts" division of the morning session, six institutions participated: Korea National University of Arts, National Gugak Middle and High School, National Traditional Arts Middle and High School, National Theater of Korea, National Gugak Center, and the Secretariat of the National Academy of Arts.
Minister Choi Hwi-young instructed Korea National University of Arts to expand its highly popular gifted youth camp programs in local regions. He requested that the National Gugak Middle and High School support students in experiencing various professions during their studies, so that after graduation, they can pursue diverse career paths beyond performance, such as arts management. He strongly urged the National Traditional Arts Middle and High School to develop robust internal reform measures regarding recent corruption and subsidy controversies, rather than waiting for the results of audits. For the National Theater of Korea, he ordered thorough facility management and clear assignment of responsibility for safety incidents. He also noted that the global popularity of "K-Pop Demon Hunters" has opened opportunities for the globalization of traditional Korean music, and asked the National Gugak Center to make efforts to increase foreign exposure to gugak. To the Secretariat of the National Academy of Arts, he emphasized the need to ensure transparency in the selection process for new members.
Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (center), is speaking at the 3rd work report meeting of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism-affiliated public institutions held on the 16th at the main conference room of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Jongno-gu. [Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]
The second morning session, focusing on regional & communication, included seven institutions: the National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, the National Institute of Korean Language, the National Hangeul Museum, the National Library for the Disabled, the Korea Policy Broadcasting Institute, and the National Asia Culture Center.
Minister Choi urged the National Institute of Korean Language to accelerate the expansion of the "corpus," a linguistic and cultural knowledge resource, in preparation for the era of artificial intelligence (AI). He emphasized improving convenience for foreign visitors at the National Folk Museum of Korea. For the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, he instructed the Ministry and the museum to jointly develop systematic methods for preserving and collecting digital materials. At the National Hangeul Museum, he checked on the status of restoration and expansion following last year's fire, requesting that the reopening proceed without delay. The National Library for the Disabled and the Ministry will work together to thoroughly prepare for the prompt construction of an independent building. Minister Choi also called on the Korea Policy Broadcasting Institute (KTV) to transition to digital platforms such as YouTube to broaden engagement with the public, and asked the National Asia Culture Center to serve as a model for the development of the local cultural and artistic ecosystem through more open operations for local residents.
In the fourth session held in the afternoon, the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Heritage Agency reported on their key initiatives for 2026 and follow-up actions after the presidential work report. Minister Choi Hwi-young received updates on major issues such as preserving the World Heritage value of Jongmyo Shrine and managing the Bangudae Petroglyphs. He strongly called for proactive prevention and rapid initial response systems to thoroughly protect national heritage from disasters such as wildfires. He also emphasized the need for close cooperation to ensure the successful hosting of the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee scheduled for July this year and the global promotion of Korean heritage. He highlighted the importance of the two agencies working together to enhance the status of "K-Culture" through the development of cultural products that reflect the unique value of national heritage.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to release the main contents of the third and fourth work reports through its website and those of each institution, as well as through social media, starting January 17. The video of the meeting will also be released later on the Ministry's YouTube channel.
Minister Choi Hwi-young stated, "This work report broke away from conventional reporting practices by openly discussing sensitive issues and making the entire policy change process public to the people," adding, "I hope that changes and innovations for Korea's leap forward as a cultural powerhouse will be pursued with a sense of urgency." He further remarked, "At the follow-up review in six months, we must be able to clearly confirm changes that the public can truly feel."
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