Korea Environmental Corporation launches 2026 environmental art competition with 60 million won purse

The Korea Environmental Corporation, an agency under the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, announced Monday it will hold the "2026 Korea Environment Love Competition" to raise public awareness of environmental issues.

The competition is the country's largest environmental contest. The corporation has run it since 2013 by merging the "Environmental Conservation Promotion Award," which launched in 1996, with the "Junk Art Competition," which began in 2006.

This year, the corporation is rebranding the eco-art category — formerly known as junk art — as "eco-design" after more than two decades of operation.

The eco-design category focuses on lifestyle product designs that make use of waste materials. It was created to uncover environmentally friendly designs applicable to everyday life while increasing the practical value of discarded resources.

The competition accepts entries in three categories: photography, eco-design, and illustration — which is open to general participants, students and AI-generated works.

A total of 76 works will be selected — 15 each in the photography and eco-design categories and 46 in the illustration category. The total purse is 60 million won (about $38,900).

The top-scoring entry in each category will receive the grand prize, which carries a cash award of 4 million won and a citation from the minister of the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy. Gold prize winners and below will receive up to 2 million won along with a citation from the corporation's president.

Anyone with an interest in the environment may submit entries through the competition's official website from Monday through Aug. 3.

The final winners will be announced and honored at an awards ceremony scheduled for September or October. Further details are available on the competition website or through the organizing secretariat.

"This year's competition has been designed to let the public express the meaning of the environment in a variety of ways, including through the newly revamped eco-design category," said Cha Gwang-myeong, the corporation's executive director of management planning. "We hope that creative ideas and works will help spread awareness of the importance of environmental conservation and the circular economy."

Meanwhile, the corporation is also proceeding with the return of junk art works submitted through past competitions. Inquiries can be directed to the corporation's public relations office or the organizing secretariat through June 30.