Culture ministry expands youth pass with book purchases

The culture ministry said Monday it would open additional applications for the Youth Culture and Arts Pass on Aug. 10, adding books to a benefit worth up to 200,000 won for Korean 19- and 20-year-olds.

Eligible applicants born in 2006 or 2007 can receive 150,000 won in the capital region and 200,000 won elsewhere, based on their registered residence.

The additional allocation will use benefits recovered after recipients made no use of passes issued in the first half. Applications will be accepted through the program's official website from Aug. 10 to Nov. 30 and may close earlier if demand is high.

People whose first-half support was recovered after going unused by July 31 are excluded from the new issuance. Newly issued support can be used through Dec. 31 at nine partner sellers to book performances, exhibitions and films, or buy eligible books in cultural arts and humanities fields. The ministry said it added books to help young people experience a wider range of culture and arts based on their interests and tastes.

About 265,000 people received the pass during the first issuance period from Feb. 25 to June 30, which did not include books. In a June 25 survey of 5,421 users, 89.2% said the pass would help their future cultural lives.

"The Youth Culture and Arts Pass will continue to be shaped by young people's voices. We plan to keep gathering views from beneficiaries and the field to improve the expanded book category," Myeong Su-hyeon, cultural policy director at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said.