The Blue House stated on October 22 that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism does not have a separate budget for Kim Hye-kyung, emphasizing that she attended cultural events organized by the ministry.
Earlier, a media report claimed that the ministry allocated approximately 1.4 billion won for events attended solely by Kim Hye-kyung, which is an increase compared to the previous administration's support for events involving the spouses of presidents.
In a press release, the Blue House explained that the ministry is planning overseas events in consultation with local embassies to promote K-Culture.
It added, "Kim Hye-kyung attended these events when circumstances allowed, such as during overseas trips."
The increase in the scale of these events is attributed to the growing demand for K-Culture abroad. The Blue House noted, "The ministry and Korean cultural centers overseas are planning events considering local demand, and unlike in the past, both participants and audiences have significantly increased."
As an example, the audience for the K-Pop competition in New Delhi, India, grew from 800 last year to 3,000 this year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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