The government plans to choose a handful of universities to lead education on inter-Korean reunification, a Unification Ministry official said Friday.

The ministry will allocate 1.8 billion won ($1.56 million) to the new project under next year's government budget plan passed by the National Assembly on Thursday, according to the official. The project was not originally part of the budget plan.

"We plan to receive applications from universities in the first half of next year and then choose three to five of them to lead unification education," the official said, speaking on the customary condition of anonymity. "When the chosen universities hold lectures and seminars on unification and North Korea, they will receive financial support."

The government hopes the new project will help university students take greater interest in unification issues, as they have become increasingly preoccupied with finding jobs.

Under next year's budget plan, the ministry will also receive 10 billion won to build a cultural center aimed at fostering understanding between South Koreans and North Korean defectors in the South. (Yonhap)