South Korea is set to dramatically increase its spending on culture, sports, and tourism next year as part of President Lee Jae Myung's ambitious plan to establish the nation as a global cultural powerhouse. The government's 2026 budget proposal, which was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Friday, allocates 9.56 trillion won ($6.9 billion) for cultural funding, representing an 8.8 percent increase from the current year.

This significant budget increase reflects the government's commitment to large-scale investments across multiple sectors, including K-culture exports, regional cultural access, tourism promotion, and sports infrastructure development. The comprehensive "cultural budget" encompasses funding from various government agencies, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Heritage Service, and the Ministry of Science and ICT, among others.

The government has set an ambitious target to grow the country's cultural content industry revenue from 154 trillion won in 2023 to 215 trillion won by 2029, positioning culture as a key driver of the national economy. To achieve this goal, much of the new spending will be directed toward strengthening the global competitiveness of Korean content across various media platforms.

Cultural funds will see a substantial boost, increasing from 295 billion won in 2025 to 465 billion won in 2026. This funding will support a wide range of creative industries, including television dramas, films, video games, musicals, and literature. The government plans to expand support for online video series and mid-budget films while launching AI-driven content production initiatives and training programs for 1,000 specialists in the field.

The Global K-Culture Hub initiative will receive increased funding, rising from 178.6 billion won this year to 262.7 billion won in 2026. This program includes plans to establish Korean cultural outposts in major cities around the world, further expanding the global reach of Korean culture. Additionally, the government has earmarked 25 billion won specifically to support international recognition of Korean literature and musicals, with the ultimate goal of achieving prestigious distinctions such as the Nobel Prize and Tony Awards.

On the domestic front, a budget of 112.3 billion won will be used to triple the number of regional performances and exhibitions, increasing from 400 to 1,200 annually to help close cultural gaps between urban and rural areas. The popular youth culture pass program will receive more than double its current funding, while the national culture voucher will increase to 150,000 won per person, up from the current 140,000 won.

Tourism policies will also benefit from significant investment increases. The government plans to introduce a new K-Tourism Pass that will bundle transportation and admission fees for foreign visitors, making it easier and more affordable for international tourists to explore South Korea. A half-price travel program will reimburse domestic tourists who visit regions experiencing population decline, helping to boost local economies. Tourism promotion efforts will expand to 25 countries, up from 20 this year, and two new global tourism districts will be designated.

Sports spending will target both elite athletes and the general public through various programs. The government plans to implement a new pre-national team training system to develop competitive athletes while also introducing senior-friendly programs to encourage physical activity among older citizens. Additionally, plans are underway for new large-scale arenas designed to meet the growing demand for both K-pop concerts and international sports events.

While the cultural budget increase of 8.8 percent is substantial, it aligns closely with the overall central government budget growth for next year. The total central government budget is set at approximately 728 trillion won, representing an 8.1 percent increase from this year, demonstrating that cultural investment is keeping pace with general government spending priorities.