"Walking in Sports for All - Body Building - Climbing Order" Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announces the results of its survey of 9,000 people

*This content was translated by AI.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young) announced the results of the "2025 National Sports Survey" on 9,000 citizens aged 10 or older. The survey was conducted by the Korea Sports Science Institute from September 2024 to August 2025.

In 2025, the participation rate in sports for all (once a week, more than 30 minutes) was 62.9%, up 2.2 percentage points (p) from the previous year. In particular, the participation rate more than twice a week increased by 2.7 percentage points (p) to 52.2%. By age group, the participation rate for those in their 20s to 60s was relatively evenly around 65%, but teenagers (43.2%) and those in their 70s and older (59.5%) showed lower levels than other age groups.

The main participating events were walking (40.5%), body building (17.5%), and hiking (17.1%). Among them, hiking increased by 5.0 percentage points (p) compared to the previous year, the largest increase in the proportion of participation.

The average participation time for one sports activity (1+2+3rd place) was "less than 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes", with 67.3% of the respondents saying it was the highest. 91.4% of respondents said that the period of participation in sports activities over the past year was "more than 9 months." The average participation period of regular participants was 14 months, an increase from the previous year (11 months).

As a place for sports activities, the rate of using public sports facilities was the highest at 81%. By type of facilities used, private sports facilities, outdoor and parks, etc. are also used in addition to public sports facilities.

The average monthly expenses for sports activities were 62,000 won, an increase of 16,000 won from the previous year. The percentage of respondents who said "no" sports activity expenses was 40.8%, down 16.3 percentage points (p) from the previous year. As for the events that you want to participate in the future if conditions are met, "swimming" (16.2%) was the highest if you have time and "golf" (19.0%) if you have money.

The highest reason for not participating in sports activities regularly was "lack of available time for sports activities" at 61.3%, followed by "lack of interest in sports activities" (50.8%) and "lack of access to sports facilities" (31.3%). By age group, the response rate of 'health problems' was the highest among ▶50s and under, 'lack of time' ▶60s and 'lack of interest' ▶70 years and over. The experience rate of daily sports participating in sports activities at least once in the past year was 79.4%, and the participation rate of one of them was 37.4%.

Based on the results of the survey, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism set a policy direction to motivate people to start and continue exercising with the aim of "a lifelong exercise habit" and provide participation programs for each life cycle at sports facilities in the living area based on scientific exercise methods that take into account individual physical strength levels. To this end, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will upgrade the "Sports Participation Incentive" project, which provides incentives of up to 50,000 won per person per year to citizens who participate in physical fitness activities such as physical examination and sports activities, and allows them to be used in sports fields such as registration of sports facilities and purchase of sports goods, as well as health fields such as hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance. The number of private and public sports facilities that can accumulate points will be expanded from about 4,000 in 2025 to 6,000 in 2026, and outdoor sports activities such as running, cycling, and walking on the trail will also be expanded to allow points to be accumulated in connection with exercise applications.

In addition, the National Physical Fitness Certification Center, which can receive physical measurement and exercise prescriptions, will be gradually expanded from 75 to 150 by 2030, and digital measurement equipment will be introduced to shorten the measurement time and expand the capacity. In addition, it plans to continue to support the construction of public-preferred sports facilities such as swimming pools and support the construction of 150 new national sports centers by 2030.

The full result report of the "2025 National Sports Survey for Life" can be found on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's website.

"In a super-aged society, it is essential, not an option, to increase the level of health and happiness by participating in sports, and to reduce social costs such as medical expenses," said Kim Dae-hyun, the second vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. "The Ministry of Culture will gradually improve the conditions for participating in sports activities so that all citizens can practice exercise and maintain health in their daily lives."

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*This content was translated by AI.