Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea)

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST; ) is a central government agency of South Korea responsible for the areas of tourism, culture, art, religion, and sports. It has two vice ministers, three assistant ministers, one commission, and over 60 divisions. The first Minister of Culture was novelist Lee O-young.Has 2 positions; one special civil servant in the Senior Civil Service (Grade B), and one special civil servant equivalent to Grade 3 or 4. Subsidiary entities such as the National Museum, the National Theater, and the National Library are under the Ministry.

The headquarters are located in the Sejong Government Complex in Sejong City.Temporary organization, exists until 30 June 2024. The headquarters were previously in Jongno District, Seoul.Temporary organization, exists until 31 August 2025.

History The Ministry of Culture and Tourism was originally a sub-organization of the Ministry of Education created in 1948. Later, the Ministry of Transportation set up a tourism department. The Ministry of Information was set up in 1961 for administration of art and cultural affairs. The Ministry of Culture and Information became the Ministry of Culture in 1990.Temporary organization, exists until 30 June 2025.

In 1993, the Ministry of Culture was integrated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to become the Ministry of Culture and Sports. In 1998, as part of government reorganization efforts, the Ministry of Culture and Sports was replaced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It was created to invest in and support the entertainment industry, as Korea needed new areas of growth in the wake of the Asian financial crisis in the 1990s.

President Kim Dae Jung put forth industrial policies supporting entertainment with the same regard as traditional industrial sectors such as manufacturing. Investments were made in both infrastructure and technology to support K-pop, including concert halls and visual effects technology. In addition, government regulation of karaoke bars favored K-pop. The government believes that promoting Korean pop culture would improve people's view of the country and help with business and tourism.

The Ministry developed the Korea Open Government License (KOGL), a copyright license that allows for the use and distribution of public materials.

In 2012 the Ministry established an advisory committee on how to sustain the Korean wave (Hallyu). In 2013, the Ministry allocated 319 billion won (US$280 million) to support Hallyu.

Mission and budget The ministry has justified its Hallyu budget by linking it to Korea's "export-led economic development". In 2012 it estimated that the Korean wave was worth US$83.2 billion, of which US$5.26 billion was attributable to K-pop.

Some in the K-pop industry have criticized the ministry for not directly supporting K-pop while fattening related industries such as Hangul, K-drama, Korean food, fashion, sports, and traditional folk music. These interest groups that have been lobbying the government for inclusion in the Hallyu budget.

List of ministers Portrait Name Term of office PresidentTook officeLeft officeTime in officeMinister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (2008-present)44Yu In-chon29 February 200826 January 2011 Lee Myung-bak45Choung Byoung-gug27 January 201116 September 2011 46Choe Kwang-shik17 September 201110 March 2013 47Yoo Jin-ryong11 March 201316 July 2014 Park Geun-hye48Kim Jong-deok20 August 20144 September 2016 49Cho Yoon-sun5 September 201620 January 2017 50Do Jong-hwan16 June 20172 April 2019 Moon Jae-in51Park Yang-woo3 April 201910 February 2021 52Hwang Hee11 February 202112 May 2022 53Park Bo-gyoon13 May 20227 October 2023 Yoon Suk-yeol54Yu In-chon 7 October 2023 29 July 2025 55 Chae Hwi-young 31 July 2025 Incumbent Lee Jae Myung

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Organization The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) is organized as follows: Bureau/Office Director/Counselor Office Department/DivisionSubordinate Organizations under the MinisterSpokesperson's OfficePublic Relations Officer / Digital Communication TeamInspector General's OfficeAudit OfficerMinister's Policy Advisor Office Subordinate Organizations under the First Vice MinisterPlanning and Coordination OfficePolicy Planning OfficePlanning and Innovation Division / Finance Division / Regulatory Reform and Legal Affairs Division / Information Management Division / Gender Equality Policy Division / Data Policy TeamCrisis and Safety Planning Officer Administrative Support DivisionCulture and Arts Policy OfficeCulture Policy OfficerCulture Policy Division / National Language Policy Division / Traditional Culture Division / International Culture DivisionArts Policy OfficerArts Policy Division / Performing Arts and Traditional Arts Division / Visual Arts and Design Division / Artist Support TeamRegional Culture Policy OfficerRegional Culture Policy Division / Cultural Infrastructure Division / Library Policy Planning Division / Culture and Arts Education DivisionReligious Affairs OfficeReligious Affairs 1 Division / Religious Affairs 2 DivisionContent Policy BureauCulture Industry Policy Division / Video Content Industry Division / Game Content Industry Division / Popular Culture Industry Division / Hallyu Support and Cooperation DivisionCopyright BureauCopyright Policy Division / Copyright Industry Division / Copyright Protection Division / Cultural Trade Cooperation DivisionMedia Policy BureauMedia Policy Division / Broadcast Video Advertising Division / Publishing, Printing, and Reading Promotion DivisionFormer Jeollanam-do Provincial Office Restoration Promotion TeamRestoration Cooperation Division / Restoration Facilities DivisionCheong Wa Dae Management and Utilization Promotion TeamCheong Wa Dae Management and Utilization Planning DivisionSubordinate Organizations under the Second Vice MinisterAssistant MinisterPublic Communication OfficeCommunication Policy OfficerCommunication Policy Division / Communication Cooperation Division / Communication Support DivisionCommunication Support OfficerContent Planning Division / Public Opinion Division / Analysis DivisionDigital Communication OfficerDigital Communication Policy Division / Digital Communication Planning Division / Policy Portal Division / Digital Communication Production DivisionSports BureauSports Policy Division / Sports Promotion Division / Sports Industry Division Sports Cooperation OfficerInternational Sports Division / Sports for the Disabled Division / Sports Heritage TeamTourism Policy BureauTourism Policy Division / Domestic Tourism Promotion Division / International Tourism Division / Tourism Infrastructure Division Tourism Industry Policy OfficerTourism Industry Policy Division / Convergent Tourism Industry Division / Tourism Development Division

Affiliated institutions Institutions supporting the Minister's jurisdiction: Korea National University of Arts National Gugak High School National Gugak Middle School National Traditional Arts High School National Traditional Arts Middle School National Museum of Korea National Institute of the Korean Language National Library of Korea Korean Culture and Information Service National Gugak Center National Folk Museum of Korea National Museum of Korean Contemporary History National Hangeul Museum National Library for the Disabled Executive Agencies (Responsible Operating Agencies) supporting the Minister's jurisdiction: National Theater of Korea National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea Korea Policy Broadcasting Agency Asia Culture Center

Korean Culture and Information Service

The Korean Culture and Information Service is a department of the MCST that aims to bring Korean culture closer to the rest of the world while improving the national image of Korea. It is also responsible for setting up more than 20 Korean Cultural Centers around the world.

Affiliated advisory committees Committee NameLegal Basis for EstablishmentNotesTourism Promotion and Development Fund Management CommitteeArticle 6 of the Tourism Promotion and Development Fund ActTourism Accommodation Measures CommitteeArticle 16 of the Special Act on the Expansion of Tourist Accommodation FacilitiesNational Language Deliberation CouncilArticle 13 of the Framework Act on the National LanguageInternational Sporting Event Bidding Examination CommitteeArticle 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the International Sporting Event Support ActLibrary Materials Review CommitteeArticle 13-3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Library ActRegistration Cancellation Review CommitteeArticle 9-4 of the Act on the Promotion of News AgenciesMuseum and Art Gallery Curator Operation CommitteeArticle 6 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Promotion of Museums and Art GalleriesKing Sejong Institute Policy Consultative CouncilArticle 19-2 of the Framework Act on the National LanguageMedia Concentration Survey CommitteeArticle 12 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Promotion of Newspapers, etc.E-Sports Promotion Advisory CommitteeArticle 9 of the Act on the Promotion of E-SportsPeriodical Publication Advisory CommitteeArticle 9 of the Act on the Promotion of Magazines and Other Periodical PublicationsRegional Newspaper Development CommitteeArticle 7 of the Special Act on the Support of Regional Newspaper DevelopmentContent Dispute Resolution CommitteeArticle 29 of the Content Industry Promotion ActKorean Language Teacher Qualification Review CommitteeArticle 13 of the Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on the National Language

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Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea)

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