Jinju City Expands Public Transportation Fare Support, Enhancing Mobility Rights for Citizens

Easing Transportation Costs, Boosting Tourism
and Revitalizing the Local Economy

Jinju City in South Gyeongsang Province is working to ease the burden of public transportation costs and improve mobility for both residents and tourists. Starting this year, the city has expanded support for public transportation fares through the "K-Pass (Gyeongnam Pass)" and improved the operation method of the "Tourism Harmo Call Bus" to enhance user convenience.

Jinju City Expands Support for Public Transportation Costs and Operates Harmo Call Bus.

▶ Expansion of "K-Pass (Gyeongnam Pass)" Public Transportation Fare Support

The "K-Pass (Gyeongnam Pass)" is a system for citizens aged 19 and older, allowing users to receive a fare refund based on their usage if they use public transportation at least 15 times per month. Seniors aged 75 and older can receive benefits without any limit on the number of uses.

The refund rates for the "K-Pass (Gyeongnam Pass)" are as follows: 20% for general users aged 40 to 64, 30% for general users aged 65 to 74, 30% for young people aged 39 and under, 100% for low-income individuals and those aged 75 and over, 30% for families with two children, and 50% for families with three children.

From this year, benefits have been further increased through system improvements. For general users aged 65 to 74, the refund rate has been raised from 20% to 30%, and the "Modu Card" has been newly introduced.

The "Modu Card" is a system that allows users to receive a full refund for any amount spent above a set monthly threshold when using public transportation with the existing K-Pass card. The threshold is set at 55,000 won for general users aged 40 to 64, 50,000 won for young people aged 39 and under, families with two children, and general users aged 65 to 74, and 40,000 won for families with three children. Users will automatically be refunded whichever is the greater amount between the group-specific refund (20-50%) and the "Modu Card" refund benefit.

A Jinju City official stated, "With the expanded support for the K-Pass (Gyeongnam Pass) starting this year, we expect more citizens to use public transportation," adding, "We will continue to work closely with transportation operators to ensure citizens can use public transportation safely and conveniently."

▶ Improvement of Tourism Harmo Call Bus Operation

Starting January 1, 2026, Jinju City has improved the operation method of the "Tourism Harmo Call Bus" to enhance convenience and encourage greater use.

The number of tourist destinations served by the "Tourism Harmo Call Bus" has been expanded from 17 to 24, increasing accessibility to major attractions. The operation method, which previously separated route reservation and on-demand types, has been unified into an on-demand system, significantly reducing user wait times.

The "Harmo Call Bus" is a demand-responsive public transportation service that can be summoned like a taxi but used at bus-level fares. Since October 1, 2025, it has been operating in five eastern townships of Jinju, focusing on tourist destinations in the eastern and downtown areas. It can be accessed via the "TmoneyGO" MaaS app, by phone, or through a call bell. Currently, there are 10 buses serving the outskirts and 4 for tourism, with 4 downtown-type buses scheduled to be introduced in the first half of this year.

With the expanded K-Pass (Gyeongnam Pass) benefits and improved operation of the Tourism Harmo Call Bus, the burden of transportation costs for key public transportation users, such as young people and seniors, is expected to be reduced. The measures are also anticipated to promote greater use of public transportation and improve mobility for tourists. Furthermore, integration with Jinju's MaaS (Mobility as a Service) system is expected to increase the influx of outside visitors and have a positive impact on revitalizing the local economy.

A Jinju City official stated, "By easing the burden of transportation costs and improving transportation services, we aim to create a transportation environment that both citizens and tourists can truly feel, and we will continue to implement sustainable public transportation policies without interruption."