SEOUL, South Korea – In a move to broaden the cultural horizons of the nation's youth, the South Korean government announced the upcoming launch of a cultural voucher program specifically targeted at 19-year-olds. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revealed on Wednesday that starting March 28, the "youth cultural-arts pass" will be made available to enhance young individuals' access to cultural experiences.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the program aims to provide cultural vouchers valued at up to 150,000 won (approximately $112) to around 160,000 eligible young people born in 2005. These vouchers can be used to attend various cultural performances such as musicals, classical music concerts, and theater productions, as well as to visit exhibitions.
Interested individuals will be able to apply for the vouchers through the websites and mobile apps of ticketing services such as Interpark and Yes24, following an age and residency verification process. Once approved, they will receive points that can be redeemed for tickets to cultural events.
Minister Yu In-chon expressed hope that the initiative would enable young people to engage with diverse cultural and artistic activities, thereby fostering their participation in the future cultural-arts market.