Culture Ministry expands AI content support with additional W21b

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday that it will expand its AI content support initiative beyond its current focus on content creation to cover the full production cycle — including planning, distribution and marketing.

The initiative, dubbed the “K-Content AI Innovation Leadership Project,” will be carried out in collaboration with the Korea Creative Content Agency, with 21 billion won ($15.2 million) in funding secured through a second supplementary budget for 2025.

The MCST said the use of AI in the content industry is evolving from simply enhancing production efficiency to creating entirely new areas based on emotional intelligence and immersive interactivity. The government aims to strategically support leading projects that diversify revenue models and boost the global competitiveness of Korean content.

While previous AI content support programs — such as the 24.5 billion won initiative funded through this year's main and first supplementary budget — have focused on production, the new project will fund proposals spanning the full content lifecycle: from concept planning and development to international marketing and distribution.

The ministry hopes to identify business models with long-term market impact and global potential, supporting not only short-term content creation but also scalable and sustainable innovation.

A key feature of the new initiative is its emphasis on collaboration.

The new project requires applicants to form consortia, partnerships between large or mid-sized corporations and small to mid-sized businesses or startups.

“The transition to AI presents a major opportunity for K-content to leap forward,” a ministry official said in a statement. “We will fully support consortia of large, mid-sized and emerging companies to develop business models aimed at global markets.”

By encouraging collaboration between companies with strong intellectual property and distribution channels and those with advanced AI content technologies, the ministry aims to foster a mutually supportive ecosystem aligned with the demands of the AI era.

Details on the application process are available on the KOCCA website. Selected projects will run through May 2026 following a formal agreement process.

At the end of the year, the ministry will host an AI content festival to showcase standout projects funded through this and previous programs, while providing networking opportunities to foster further industry collaboration.