The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) is a central government agency 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 total staff numbers approximately 2,200 people.
Subsidiary entities such as the National Museum, the National Theater, and the National Library are under the Ministry.
Goals
The main goals of MCT are:
- To educate Korean people to be cultured and creative citizens
- To create a society in which leisure and work are in harmony
- To create a dynamic nation in which various local cultures are represented
- To enhance public awareness of the national agenda (e.g. green growth) through public relations activities
- To improve quality of life for citizens by supporting cultural events and activities, sports, tourism, and religious activities
History
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism was originally a suborganization 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.
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.
