The government and the private sector have joined forces to make classical music more accessible to the general public.

The Presidential Committee for Cultural Enrichment and Shinsegae, a high-end retail outlet, signed a joint agreement on March 18 in an effort to enrich people's lives and to expand their exposure to classical music.


The agreement is designed to dovetail with the government's "Culture Day" campaign, a national movement that the government has been carrying out since January. The government has designated the last Wednesday of every month as "Culture Day." On that day, people can go to the movies, sports games, the theater, museums or libraries all across the nation, and even Seoul's royal palaces, either for free or at a discount.


In light of the government's campaign, Shinsegae will transform six of its department stores-- in Busan, Incheon, Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong Province) and Uijeongbu and Yongin, both in Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province)-- into concert halls and put on classical music concerts on the last Wednesday of every month.

"We will spare no effort to make 'Culture Day' a great opportunity to enrich people's everyday lives," said Vice President Chung Yong-jin of Shinsegae.

The conglomerate will hold a total of 54 classical music concerts over the course of the year and will make it a top priority to first invite families from lower socio-economic brackets who are less likely to have the opportunity to enjoy classical music.

World-renowned classical music stars, including pianist Son Yeol-eum and violinist Clara Jumi Kang, will join in Shinsegae's cause. Other musicians, including cellists Yang Sung-won and Song Young-hoon, baritone Seo Jung-hak and tenor Park Ji-min, will participate as well, sharing their talents with the audience.

The company has also designated each "Culture Day" as a "no overtime work" day. With that, Shinsegae workers make sure to leave the office on time so that they can enjoy cultural activities throughout the rest of the day.


"This cooperation with Shinsegae will help people to better appreciate culture," said Chairman Kim Dong-ho of the Presidential Committee of Cultural Enrichment. “The series of classical music concerts provided by the company will play an important role in bridging the long-standing 'culture gap' between regions and classes and will help the disadvantaged get some exposure to a more diverse range of cultural activities, as well,” he said.

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr