SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - South Korea plans to make culture a larger part of its foreign aid policy, using its experience in the arts and creative industries to support developing countries, the foreign and culture ministries said Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism signed an agreement at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul to jointly develop official development assistance projects focused on culture.
Under the agreement, the ministries will identify and design new cultural aid projects, share information and coordinate programs involving development cooperation, public diplomacy and international cultural exchange, including the establishment and operation of Korean cultural centers overseas.
The agreement forms part of the government's broader "K-Initiative," a policy framework that seeks to apply South Korea's experience in culture, industry, technology and democracy to international challenges while advancing its national interests.
The plan comes as the government seeks to broaden an aid portfolio traditionally centered on infrastructure, health, education and public administration. Culture and artificial intelligence were identified as new areas of focus in South Korea's latest five-year development cooperation strategy.
Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said South Korea needed to expand its international role through cultural aid, noting that his ministry's ODA budget accounts for only 0.18 percent of total government aid spending.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said cultural aid should help developing countries improve access to arts and culture and build their own creative industries. He added that deeper cultural exchange could also strengthen South Korea's international standing.
The ministries did not announce specific partner countries, projects or additional funding under the agreement.
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