An exterior view of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. [Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry]
An exterior view of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. [Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry]

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced Thursday that it has selected winners from 560 submissions to its "Culture Day Showcase," a contest held throughout May via Sopl, the chamber's communications platform. Winners include one first-place, one second-place, 10 third-place and 30 honorable mention recipients.

Prize goods were awarded by ranking, and all participating workers who submitted entries received Naver Points as a participation prize.

Among the featured cases, a software development firm identified as Company A stamps employees' "culture passports" when they take part in cultural activities, offering a small subsidy upon completion. A nonprofit foundation identified as Company B held a "culture dinner" outing, with staff visiting a bowling alley together after a seminar to build team bonds.

The chamber posted about 40 winning entries on Sopl so other companies can draw on them when planning their own Culture Day events. It aims to spread diverse ideas across the business community and encourage healthy cultural consumption. Companies have in practice been joining the initiative with a wide range of activities — bowling, board games, pottery workshops, in-house concerts, humanities lectures and visits to local exhibitions, among others.

Since April, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has expanded its "Culture Day" program from once a month — held on the last Wednesday of each month — to every Wednesday. As a result, more than 2,000 public cultural facilities nationwide, including performance venues, art galleries, museums and movie theaters, now offer benefits such as admission discounts, free entry and extended hours.


keg@heraldcorp.com