SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - South Korea will spend 12 billion won ($7.8 million) this year to upgrade six regional sports and multipurpose facilities for K-pop and other live music concerts, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday.
The program is aimed at addressing the country's shortage of dedicated concert venues by upgrading existing public facilities rather than waiting for new arenas to be built.
Many large music events in South Korea are held at stadiums and gymnasiums designed primarily for sports. Such venues often lack the acoustics, seating, backstage facilities and other infrastructure needed for live music performances.
The ministry will select one facility from each of six regions: the Seoul metropolitan, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Chungcheong, Gangwon and Jeju regions.
Each selected facility will be eligible for up to 2 billion won in central government funding. Applicants must operate a sports or multipurpose venue with at least 1,000 seats.
Municipal governments, public institutions, local public enterprises and universities may apply for the program from Tuesday through July 24.
Funding may be used to install retractable seating, soundproofing and acoustic materials, stage lighting, dressing rooms and safety equipment. Sports venues may also receive support for restoring turf or other facilities after concerts.
Selected operators must match the government contribution, covering at least 50 percent of the total project cost. They will also be required to complete the upgrades within the project period and host at least one ticketed opening concert.
The ministry said the program could help bring more concerts outside the Seoul metropolitan area and attract overseas K-pop fans to regional cities, generating tourism and local spending.
"This project is an important first step toward building performance infrastructure that matches K-pop's global stature," said Choi Sung-hee, the ministry's director general for content and media industries.
She said using existing facilities would allow the government to respond more quickly to demand while providing audiences with safer and more comfortable concert environments.
Application details are available through the Korea Creative Content Agency.
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