'Public Transportation Fare Refund' K-Pass Becomes a Nationwide Service...229 Local Governments Join

Additional 11 Local Governments Join, Applications Available from the 4th

The Metropolitan Transport Commission under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 3rd that it had signed a business agreement with 11 local governments to implement the K-Pass program.

K-Pass is a program that refunds a portion of users' public transportation expenses when they use public transit above a certain threshold. Under this agreement, all 229 local governments nationwide will participate in the program. The local governments that joined the agreement on this day were Jindo, Wando, Yeonggwang, and Gurye in South Jeolla Province, and Cheongsong, Bonghwa, Uiseong, Uljin, Yeongdeok, Cheongdo, and Ulleung in North Gyeongsang Province.

The K-Pass program is implemented by matching national and local government funds. Under the basic type, a certain percentage of public transportation expenditures is refunded, while under the flat-rate type, the portion of public transportation expenditures that exceeds the refund threshold amount is refunded.

On the 2nd, when K-Pass, which replaces the existing Alteul Transportation Card program, started service, commuters used the subway to go to work at Gwanghwamun Station in Jongno, Seoul. Unlike the Climate Companion Card, a fixed-price pass usable only in Seoul, K-Pass can be used in most local governments and refunds a certain percentage of expenses the following month when a user takes city buses, community buses, subways, metropolitan buses, or the Great Train Express 15 times or more in a month. Photo by Cho Yongjun

Previously, residents' eligibility for refunds was restricted depending on whether their local governments participated in the program. With all local governments now deciding to join, a genuine foundation has been laid for universal transportation welfare for the entire population. Local government funds that have not yet been secured will be obtained through supplementary budgets at the local government level. Starting on the 4th, residents of these areas can also apply for K-Pass.

Kim Yongseok, Chairperson of the Metropolitan Transport Commission, said, "With this agreement, the final piece of the puzzle for 'reducing public transportation costs for all citizens' has fallen into place," adding, "We will further strengthen support for users in local areas so that this becomes a transportation welfare policy that everyone can enjoy anytime, anywhere."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.