South Korea Aims to Boost K-Craft Sales to ₩9 Trillion and Exports to $4 Billion by 2030
Creatrip Team
a month ago
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism unveiled the ‘2nd Basic Plan for Promoting the Craft Cultural Industry (2026–2030)’ to scale up K-craft (Korean crafts). Targets include raising domestic craft industry sales from ₩5.8 trillion (2024) to ₩9 trillion and exports from $1.9 billion (2025) to $4 billion by 2030. Two main goals are creating a virtuous industry ecosystem and expanding overseas markets through four strategies: strengthening production and maker support, innovating distribution and export channels, diversifying public craft programs, and improving policy and regulations. Key measures include residency programs in vacant local spaces, skills and business training, training of curators and product planners, cross-industry collaboration, larger retail and exhibition channels (including a combined experience-and-sales “comprehensive distribution center”), regular craft exhibitions, and support for international fairs and overseas showrooms. Plans also propose a national craft museum (국립공예관) and regional craft clusters, tax-law changes to give practical crafts VAT benefits, and easing some gift limits under the Anti-Graft Act. The ministry says the plan will help K-craft become a high-value global industry while embedding craft into daily life.
