New funds to cover the complete production cycle, including planning, distribution, marketing, and more.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on 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 implemented in collaboration with the Korean Creative Content Agency, securing 21 billion wins ($15.2 million) in its second supplemental budget for 2025.
MCST said the use of AI in the content industry has evolved from simply increasing production efficiency to creating whole new fields based on emotional intelligence and immersive interactivity. The government aims to diversify its revenue model and strategically support key projects that will increase the global competitiveness of South Korea’s content.
While previous AI content support programs focus on production, including the 24.5 billion victory initiative funded through this year’s main and initial supplemental budget, the new projects will fund proposals that span the full content lifecycle, from concept planning and international marketing and distribution.
The ministry wants to identify business models with long-term market impacts and global potential, supporting short-term content creation as well as scalable and sustainable innovation.
An important feature of the new initiative is its focus on collaboration.
The new project requires applicants to form a partnership between a consortium, large or medium-sized enterprise and a medium- to medium-sized enterprise or startup.
“The transition to AI presents a great opportunity for K-Content to move forward,” ministry officials said in a statement. “We fully support a consortium of large, medium-sized startups to develop business models aimed at the global market.”
By encouraging collaboration between companies with strong intellectual property and distribution channels and companies with advanced AI content technology, the ministry aims to promote a mutually supportive ecosystem tailored to the demands of the AI age.
Details of the application process are available on the KOCCA website. The selected projects will run until May 2026 following a formal agreement process.
At the end of the year, the ministry will host an AI content festival, which will showcase the program and outstanding projects funded through its previous programs, as well as networking opportunities to further promote industry collaboration.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
