SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - South Korea will seek to make traditional crafts a larger part of its cultural exports and tourism industry under a new five-year government plan announced Tuesday.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released its second basic plan for promoting the craft culture industry, covering 2026 to 2030. The plan is built around four areas: production, distribution, public access and policy infrastructure, with the government aiming to raise the industry's annual revenue to 9 trillion won and exports to $4 billion by 2030.
The ministry said the craft industry's revenue and exports grew significantly under the first five-year plan, but interest in Korean crafts is rising further as K-culture expands globally and more visitors seek hands-on cultural experiences in South Korea. At the same time, many craft makers still face limits in branding, sales channels and market data, making it difficult to turn creative work into stable business growth.
On the production side, the government will support craft makers through training programs, residency projects using vacant local properties and business education tailored to different career stages. It will also train specialists such as exhibition guides and product planners to help connect craft artists with the market.
The ministry also plans to create retail spaces in areas popular with foreign tourists, combining craft exhibitions, sales and hands-on programs. It will work with museums, department stores and online platforms to hold regular craft product promotions.
The government will also expand the use of craft items as gifts from public institutions and as return gifts under the hometown donation program, a system that gives local products to citizens who donate to regional governments. The Craft Trend Fair, the country's largest craft market event, will be developed into a stronger business platform by connecting more makers with overseas buyers and corporate partners.
Overseas promotion will be expanded through major international fairs, a permanent exhibition space in Dubai and Korean cultural centers abroad. The ministry also plans to link crafts with hotels and resorts as part of broader K-culture marketing efforts.
To widen public access, Craft Week will be reorganized into a more focused cultural event in major cities, while traveling exhibitions will be held outside the Seoul metropolitan area. The ministry will also develop education programs under the idea of "one craft for every person," covering different age groups from children to older adults, along with healing and self-reliance programs for out-of-school youth and socially withdrawn young people.
Over the longer term, the government plans to build a national craft center and regional craft clusters tailored to local characteristics.
The plan also includes legal and tax measures. The ministry will pursue tax law revisions that would allow practical craft products to receive benefits similar to those given to fine art. It will also review exceptions to gift-value limits under the country's anti-graft law, and will seek to classify the craft industry as a separate category under the Korean Standard Industrial Classification while shortening its industry survey cycle from three years to two.
To carry out the plan, the ministry will also restructure the Korea Craft and Design Foundation into a policy-driving organization and build a cross-ministry cooperation system with agencies including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young said global interest in K-culture is creating an opportunity for Korean crafts, which reflect the country's traditional sense of beauty. "We will carry out this second basic plan systematically so that crafts can become part of people's daily lives and grow into a high-value industry in the global market," Choi said.
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