SEOUL – The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Yu In-chon, MCST) is actively seeking companies and organizations that prioritize and support the "Work-Life Balance" (hereinafter referred to as "워라밸") of their employees. From Wednesday, April 23rd to Friday, May 30th, applications will be accepted for the "2025 Leisure-Friendly Certification." This certification program, jointly promoted with the Regional Culture Promotion Agency (Director Jung Kwang-ryeol), aims to establish a virtuous cycle where employees enhance their quality of life through fulfilling leisure activities, which in turn leads to increased corporate productivity.
The "Leisure-Friendly Certification System," first introduced in 2012, has recognized a total of 607 companies and organizations as exemplary cases of 워라밸 implementation by the end of last year. Certified entities are striving to enable their employees to harmoniously balance work and personal life through various leisure support programs, including flexible work arrangements, self-development support, in-house club activities, and promotion of vacation usage.
Diverse Benefits for Certified Companies and Organizations, Including Priority for Government Support Projects
The MCST plans to encourage the spread of a 워라밸 culture by providing substantial benefits to newly certified or recertified companies and organizations. During the three-year validity period of the certification, these entities will receive support for promoting leisure-related systems and cultural and leisure activities. They will also enjoy preferential consideration when applying for government support projects such as the 'Artist Dispatch Support Project' and the 'Youth-Friendly Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Project.' Furthermore, they will receive additional points when applying for other government-led certifications such as the 'Excellent Workplace for Reading Management Certification' and the 'Health-Friendly Company Certification.'
In particular, 10 companies and organizations that demonstrate outstanding leisure-friendly management practices will be honored with commendations from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Director of the Regional Culture Promotion Agency, along with prize money. This aims to commend the efforts of companies leading the way in 워라밸 and to widely promote their successful models to encourage participation from other companies.
Information Sessions and Customized Consulting Support for Applicant Companies
To enhance understanding and facilitate the application process for the "2025 Leisure-Friendly Certification," the MCST has prepared various support programs for applicant companies and organizations. An online information session will be held on Wednesday, April 30th at 2:00 PM (KST), providing detailed guidance on the certification procedures and application methods. Interested parties can participate via the online information session link: https://url.kr/qcvdo6.
Additionally, two online group consulting sessions will be held in May, covering guidelines for preparing submission materials for each evaluation indicator and strategies for leisure-friendly management. These sessions are expected to provide applicant companies with necessary information and practical assistance during the certification review process.
Final Results Announced in October After Rigorous Evaluation: Encouraging Participation from Leading 워라밸 Companies
The final list of certified leisure-friendly companies and organizations will be announced in October following document review and interview assessments. A certification ceremony will be held in November to share the achievements of companies that have contributed to the spread of a 워라밸 culture and to celebrate their success.
A policy official from the MCST stated, "The Leisure-Friendly Certification System is an important indicator of 'people-centered management' that enhances the image of companies and organizations and positively impacts the acquisition of talented individuals." They further added, "We look forward to the active participation of companies and organizations that support their employees in leading healthy and happy lives through work and leisure activities."
Detailed information regarding the "2025 Leisure-Friendly Certification" application can be found on the MCST official website (www.mcst.go.kr) or the Leisure-Friendly Support website (happyoffice.rcda.or.kr). Strong interest and participation are encouraged from companies and organizations that value 워라밸 and strive to improve the quality of life for their employees.
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