A new government fund for content policy worth KRW 730 billion seeks to accelerate a "Korean culture era worth KRW 300 trillion." Shown is the K-pop boy band EPEX on Nov. 8, 2025, at the annual K-Wave Festival held at the theater CKL Stage of the tourism center HiKR Ground in Seoul's Jung-gu District. (Lee Jeongwoo)

By Margareth Theresia

A new public fund for content policy worth KRW 730 billion seeks to speed up "a Korean culture era worth KRW 300 trillion."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Jan. 23 said that in collaboration with government fund manager Korea Venture Investment Corp., it will announce the first regular subscription of this year's mother fund to set up the policy fund for development of the content industry. The mother fund this year is the largest in history and up 22% from last year's.

By sector, KRW 650 billion will go to cultural content and KRW 81.8 billion to cinema to improve the production environment and help the sector recover. Support will also go toward the growth of companies creating diverse content like performing arts, games, webtoons and video and assist their advances abroad.

Stronger backing will also seek to stimulate more participation by private investors. The government will foot a larger proportion of investment losses upfront and improve conditions for profit distribution to attract private capital.

"Providing investment incentives for the content industry is a pivotal element in a K-culture era worth KRW 300 trillion," said Lim Seong Hwan, director general of the ministry's Cultural Industry Policy Bureau. "

The 2026 content policy fund will actively back the stable growth of content companies and raise K-content's global competitiveness through new growth sectors and revitalization of the content finance recovery markets."

margareth@korea.kr