The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) announced the results of the “2025 National Sports Participation Survey,”[1] conducted on 9,000 citizens aged 10 and older nationwide. The 2025 national sports participation rate (at least once a week for 30 minutes or more) was 62.9%, up 2.2%p year-on-year (YoY). In particular, the participation rate at least twice a week was 52.2%, an increase of 2.7%p. By age group, participation rates were relatively even across ages 20 to 60, at around 65%, while teens (43.2%) and those aged 70 and older (59.5%) showed lower levels compared to other age groups. The most popular activities were walking (40.5%), weight training (17.5%), and hiking (17.1%). Among these, hiking saw the largest increase in participation share, up 5.0%p YoY. The survey results indicated that participation was concentrated in activities with relatively low equipment and cost burdens.

Average exercise duration and participation period increased, public sports facility usage rate high

The highest proportion of respondents (67.3%) reported an average participation duration of “1 hour to less than 1 hour 30 minutes” per session. The proportion who reported participating in sports activities for “9 months or more” in the past year was 91.4%. For regular participants, the average participation period was 14 months, an increase from 11 months the previous year. Public sports facilities had the highest usage rate at 81%. By facility type, in addition to public sports facilities, private sports facilities and outdoor areas such as parks were also commonly used.

The average monthly expenditure on sports activities was KRW 62,000, an increase of KRW 16,000 YoY. The proportion of respondents who reported “no” expenditure on sports activities was 40.8%, a decrease of 16.3%p YoY. Regarding sports activities respondents would like to participate in if conditions allow, “swimming” (16.2%) was the top choice if more time were available, and “golf” (19.0%) was the top choice if more money were available.

The most common reason for not participating regularly in sports activities was “lack of time for sports activities” (61.3%), followed by “lack of interest in sports activities” (50.8%) and “lack of accessibility to sports facilities” (31.3%). By age group, “lack of time” was the most common response among those in their 50s and younger, “lack of interest” among those in their 60s, and “health issues” among those aged 70 and older. The sports participation experience rate, defined as having participated in sports activities at least once in the past year, was 79.4%, with 37.4% participating in only one activity.

“Making lifelong exercise a habit for all citizens” as a goal, with enhancements to the “Sports Activity Incentives” program, expansion of National Fitness Certification Centers, and construction of national sports centers

Based on the survey results, MCST has set a policy direction with the goal of “making lifelong exercise a habit for all citizens,” providing motivation to start and continue exercising and offering life stage–specific participation programs at local sports facilities based on scientific exercise methods tailored to individual fitness levels. To this end, MCST will enhance the “Sports Activity Incentives” program, which provides citizens with up to KRW 50,000 in incentive points per year for participating in fitness improvement activities such as fitness assessments and sports activities, which can be used for sports facility registration, sports equipment purchases, and healthcare, such as hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance.

The number of private and public sports facilities where points can be accumulated will be expanded from approximately 4,000 in 2025 to 6,000 in 2026, and outdoor sports activities such as running, cycling, and trail walking will also be linked to exercise applications to enable point accumulation. Additionally, the number of National Fitness Certification Centers, where citizens can receive fitness assessments and exercise prescriptions, will be gradually expanded from the current 75 to 150 by 2030, and digital measurement equipment will be introduced to reduce measurement time and increase capacity. Furthermore, the Ministry will continue to support the construction of popular public sports facilities, such as swimming pools, and plans to build 150 new national sports centers by 2030.

The full report of the “2025 National Sports Participation Survey” is available on the MCST website (www.mcst.go.kr > Key Policies > Policies by Field > Sports).