The Cheongju International Short Film Festival is organized by the Cheongju branch of the General Association of Korean Filmmakers and hosted by the Cheongju International Short Film Festival Executive Committee.
Discussions on the Cheongju International Short Film Festival began in 1999 when Kim Kyung-sik, the first chairman of the association, established the Chungbuk Film Council.
The official start of the Cheongju International Short Film Festival is the "Cheongju City Excellent Short Film Festival" held by Kim Kyung-sik, the first president of the Cheongju Film Artists Association, a division established in 2004.
At that time, the main programs were "Invited Screenings for Outstanding Short Films in Korea" and "Cheongju Youth Film Class" aimed at fostering future film talents.
Since then, the festival has been renamed the "Cheongju City Digital Short Film Festival" in 2006, attempting to make changes in line with the digital era. Then in 2013, director Eo Il-sun took office as the second president, renaming it as the "Cheongju International Short Film Festival," inviting foreign films to diversify the program.