Jinan County Joins Public Transportation Fare Reimbursement Program 'K-Pass'

Expansion of Transportation Welfare Support
for County Residents Aged 19 and Older

Jinan County in North Jeolla Province is expanding transportation welfare support for its residents by participating in the government’s public transportation fare reimbursement program, known as the ‘K-Pass’.

According to the county on May 12, the ‘K-Pass’ is a public transportation fare support system implemented nationwide by the government starting in May 2024. Under this program, individuals who use public transportation at least 15 times per month receive partial fare reimbursement based on the number of times they use it.

The county has previously focused its transportation welfare policies on the elderly. However, as the burden of transportation costs for various groups, such as young people and households with multiple children, has become a social issue, the need for broader support has grown. In response, the county decided to participate in the K-Pass program to encourage greater use of public transportation and to address gaps in transportation welfare.

Eligible recipients are county residents aged 19 or older who use public transportation at least 15 times per month with a K-Pass card. The dedicated K-Pass card can be issued in various forms?including credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid transportation cards?by major card companies, and benefits are only applied when using this card.

The transportation modes eligible for reimbursement include city buses nationwide, rural and fishing village buses, village buses, urban railways (subways), metropolitan railways, and demand-responsive transportation services (such as Haengbok Call Bus).

Depending on income level or household type, users can receive reimbursement for transportation costs ranging from a minimum of 20% per transaction (for the general population) up to a maximum of 53.3% (for low-income groups), with benefits accruing for up to 60 rides per month. The accumulated reimbursement is automatically discounted from the card payment or refunded in cash on the card’s billing date.

County Governor Jeon Chunseong stated, “With the introduction of the K-Pass, we expect to alleviate the transportation cost burden for various groups, including young people, low-income households, and families with multiple children. We encourage all residents to apply for the K-Pass card and participate actively, and we hope this will serve as an opportunity to increase public transportation usage.”