The Korea Artists Welfare Foundation, an affiliate of South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced its 2026 business plan focused on strengthening artists’ professional status and the social safety net around their work. The foundation set industrial accident prevention and expanded access to social insurance as key priorities, aiming to better support artists facing risks and instability in the field.
National pension support expanded to include artists enrolled in industrial accident insurance
In 2026, the foundation will broaden eligibility for its National Pension premium support program, which covers 50% of premiums paid by freelance artists who enroll as local (voluntary) subscribers. The expanded coverage will include artists who are enrolled in industrial accident insurance, with the goal of bringing more artists into the retirement income system.
“Yesul-ro” program expansion includes full industrial accident insurance premium support
The foundation will also expand its “Yesul-ro” program, which promotes collaboration between artists and companies or institutions to improve job stability and spread the artistic and social value of their work. For participating artists, it will fully cover industrial accident insurance premiums (Grade 1) during the program period to reduce the burden of accidents and risks tied to artistic activity.
Artists whose careers were interrupted by childbirth, parenting or illness will receive preferential treatment in calls for collaboration and regional projects. The foundation will also link career assessments, consulting and tailored training to support their return to work and continued activity.
Jeonse loan cap raised to support housing stability
Financial support for housing will expand under the foundation’s living stability loan program. The cap for jeonse deposit loans will rise to 120 million won from 100 million won, with an interest rate of 1.95%, reflecting higher housing costs.
This low-interest loan program targets freelance artists who have difficulty using mainstream financial services. In addition to jeonse deposits, it offers living stability loans at a 2.5% interest rate for medical expenses, parental caregiving costs, funeral expenses and wedding funds.
Rights protection education expanded with new video courses
To promote fairness and gender equality in the arts, the foundation will add new video courses to its artists’ rights protection education program, including “Practical responses to arts contracts through case studies” and “Gender sensitivity education for the performing arts.” By expanding remote learning, it will provide essential information on contracts, copyright, prevention of sexual harassment and sexual violence, and the Artists’ Rights Guarantee Act without limits of time or place.
It will continue operating existing rights protection services, including the “Artists’ Ombudsman,” legal counseling and consulting, reporting and counseling for sexual harassment and sexual violence, reporting and counseling for written contract violations, and support for electronic contract services.
Programs aim to reduce gaps in artistic activity
The foundation’s “Art Activity Preparation Fund” program, which provides 3 million won per person so artists do not stop working for non-art-related reasons such as financial hardship, will support about 18,000 people this year. It will also run life-cycle welfare programs, including a savings account program to help young artists build assets, childcare support with weekend and nighttime care, psychological counseling for mental health, and an “Artist Pass” offering discounts for performances, exhibitions and daily life.
Artists Welfare Fund to launch
The foundation said this year marks a turning point in building a more tailored welfare system to support artists’ lives and working conditions, including the launch of an “Artists Welfare Fund” to provide stable backing for mutual aid products and other welfare services. It plans to revise related rules in the first half of the year and prepare detailed programs, including mutual aid products, then roll out products in stages starting in the second half.
“So artists can be fully guaranteed their basic rights as professionals”
The foundation said schedules and details for its 2026 program announcements are available through a program guide on its website and through program videos on its YouTube channel. The videos provide sign language and caption interpretation to improve access to information.
Foundation CEO Jeong Yong Uk said the 2026 plan focuses on ensuring artists “can be fully guaranteed their basic rights as professionals within the social security system.” He said the foundation will strengthen the safety net centered on social insurance such as industrial accident insurance and the National Pension, and will build a more comprehensive welfare base through the launch of the Artists Welfare Fund to support artists’ lives and artistic activity.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.