Youth Sports Budget to Increase Eightfold... Targeting 65% Participation in Everyday Sports by 2030

The Dream of a Healthy Korea: "Sports Policy Vision 2030"


Aiming for a KRW 115 Trillion Sports Market and 7.6% World-Class Disciplines

The government will dramatically increase next year's budget to support sports activities for children and teenagers from this year's 5.5 billion won to 42.4 billion won—an eightfold increase. This is intended to raise the sports participation rate among teenagers, which stood at just 43.2% in last year's survey, and to boost the current overall sports participation rate from 62.9% to 65%.

On September 4, the government announced the “Sports Policy Vision 2030,” which sets targets of a 65% national sports participation rate, a 7.6% share of world-class sports disciplines, and a domestic sports market worth 115 trillion won by the year 2030.

On the afternoon of the same day, the second National Sports Policy Committee was held at the Government Complex Seoul, chaired by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, where the Sports Policy Vision 2030 was unveiled and preparations for the 2027 Chungcheong Universiade were reviewed. Six private committee members were also appointed for the committee's second term. The new private members include Kim Soo-nyeong, head coach of the Korea University women’s archery team; Park Seong-bae, professor at Anyang University; Seo Jeong-hwa, a lawyer at YK Law Firm; Yoon Ji-woon, professor at the Korea National Sport University; Han Nam-hee, professor at Korea University; and Ham Eun-joo, secretary-general of the Sports Human Rights Institute. Kim Soo-nyeong, a former archer known as the “divine archer” who participated in the Olympics three times and won four gold medals, will serve as co-chair of the committee alongside Prime Minister Han Seong-sook.

The slogan for the Sports Policy Vision 2030, which aims to link public health management with sports, is “Sports for Everyone, a Healthy and Happy Korea.” The objective is to enhance the quality of life through health by expanding and improving sports infrastructure so that people can comfortably exercise anytime and anywhere.

At a prior briefing held at the Government Complex Seoul on September 2, Kim Dae-hyeon, Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, “Elite sports, community sports, and the sports industry all drive each other’s growth when interconnected,” adding, “We will create a virtuous cycle ecosystem in sports, where the benefits of growth are returned to the public.”

According to the “2025 National Community Sports Survey” published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in January of this year, the national community sports participation rate (exercising at least once a week for 30 minutes or more) reached 62.9% last year, a 2.2 percentage point increase from the previous year. Participation among those in their 20s to 60s exceeded 60% across the board, but among teenagers, the participation rate was only 43.2%, the lowest among all age groups. Even adults in their 70s and older participated more, with a rate of 59.5%. In response, the government said it would substantially increase the budget to support sports activities for children and teenagers in order to boost participation rates among teens.

Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyeon also announced plans to expand the budget for the “Ttuntteun Money” program to further encourage sports in daily life. The Ttuntteun Money program allows registered users to receive 500 won per day as points—up to a maximum of 50,000 won per year—if they exercise for at least 30 minutes at registered facilities each day. The budget for this year was doubled to 8 billion won compared to last year, but funds were already exhausted by June as the number of participants increased. Vice Minister Kim stressed, “The Ttuntteun Money program may be small, but it is highly effective in making Korea a healthier country. The more this budget increases, the more we can reduce health care costs and improve Korea's health index.”

The government also plans to bolster facilities for community sports. By 2030, it will supply 110 new community sports centers—including lightweight versions to minimize construction cost and scale—and install shade roofs at outdoor sports facilities such as tennis courts. Starting next year, income deduction for use of sports facilities will be extended to office workers whose annual salary exceeds 70 million won, and new policies will be introduced to protect consumers from sudden closures of gyms, yoga, and Pilates studios.

In the area of elite sports, the government will introduce external standing auditors to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and expand the audit organization. Plans to limit the total term of the committee’s president will also be pushed forward next year. A national head coach academy will be established and the number of full-time referees will be increased, while AI-powered judgment support equipment will be provided. The government will also introduce insurance programs to cover physical injuries among sports professionals and expand support for employment and industrial accident insurance.

The government has also set the goal of expanding the domestic sports industry market from 84.7 trillion won in 2024 to 115 trillion won in 2030. To facilitate this, it plans to introduce credit loans backed by guarantees for sports companies with insufficient collateral and support commercialization and R&D for products incorporating AI, robotics, and other new technologies. There are also plans to build a multi-purpose domed stadium with a capacity of over 50,000 people that can host both sports games and K-pop concerts. Additionally, by 2030, forty more Bandabi Sports Centers—facilities allowing both people with and without disabilities to participate together—will be built.

In the field of international sports, the government will systematically manage the entire process from bidding for international events, hosting, branding, to post-event management, and support athletes, administrators, and referees advancing into international sports organizations and federations.

The committee also reviewed the preparations for the “2027 Chungcheong Summer Universiade,” which will be held in August next year in Daejeon, Sejong, North Chungcheong, and South Chungcheong provinces. The event is expected to attract about 15,000 participants from roughly 150 countries, with a total project budget of 563.2 billion won. The organizing committee aims to complete construction and renovations of stadiums by June next year and develop comprehensive measures to cope with potential heat waves and heavy rain.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.