From Next Year, Expanded Refund Benefits for Exceeding the Set Threshold
Starting next year, a "flat-rate system" will be added to the K-Pass program, which refunds transportation costs to those who use public transportation a certain number of times or more. Under this new system, any amount exceeding a set limit will be fully refunded.
On December 15, the Metropolitan Area Wide Transportation Committee under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will expand and revise the K-Pass public transportation fare refund support program from January 1 next year by introducing the "Everyone's Card" flat-rate system.
The "Everyone's Card" operates on a structure where users only pay up to a certain amount for transportation, and any amount spent beyond this threshold is automatically refunded. This system covers most public transportation options, including city and village buses, subways, the Shinbundang Line, the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX), and the Seoul Han River Bus. However, transportation services that require separate ticketing, such as KTX, SRT, and airport buses, are excluded from the program.
The K-Pass, introduced in May last year, originally refunded a portion of users' monthly public transportation expenses if they used public transit at least 15 times per month. The refund rates were 20% for the general public (including those aged 65 and over), 30% for young adults (aged 19 to 34), and 53.3% for low-income individuals. For monthly transportation expenses exceeding 200,000 won, only 50% of the excess amount was refunded.
With this revision, the addition of the flat-rate system gives users more choices. The refund threshold varies depending on the region, eligibility, and type of pass. Regions are divided into four categories: the metropolitan area, general local areas, preferential support areas, and special support areas. Eligibility is grouped into three types: the general public, young adults/families with two children/seniors, and families with three or more children/low-income individuals. For the general public in the metropolitan area, the threshold is 62,000 won per month.
If a user only uses transportation services with a single fare under 3,000 won, the "standard" threshold applies. If they use any transportation service with a fare of 3,000 won or more, the "plus" threshold applies. For example, if a general public user in the metropolitan area spends 90,000 won in a month using only public transportation with fares under 3,000 won, they will receive a refund of 28,000 won, which is the amount exceeding the threshold.
Existing K-Pass users do not need to reissue their cards; they can continue to use their current cards. Each month, the system will automatically apply the refund method-either the existing method or the "Everyone's Card" method-whichever provides a larger refund, and users can check the applied method through the system.
Support for seniors will also be expanded. Seniors aged 65 and over, who were previously included in the general public category, will now be classified separately, and their refund rate will be increased from 20% to 30%. This measure aims to encourage public transportation use and guarantee mobility rights.
The regions participating in the K-Pass program will also be expanded. Starting next year, eight new local governments-including Goseong, Yanggu, and Jeongseon in Gangwon Province; Gangjin, Yeongam, and Boseong in South Jeolla Province; and Yeongyang and Yecheon in North Gyeongsang Province-will join the program. As a result, residents of 218 local governments nationwide are expected to benefit from the K-Pass.
Kim Yongseok, Chairperson of the Metropolitan Area Wide Transportation Committee, stated, "With the introduction of the Everyone's Card, the K-Pass will become an irreplaceable transportation welfare policy that significantly reduces the public's transportation costs. We will continue to expand the benefits and develop the program so that everyone in the country can conveniently use all forms of public transportation, wherever they are."
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