The government provides a significant tax cut to private golf courses that convert into public courses. This is a part of the nation’s efforts to offer affordable golfing grounds.
However, some local golf courses are still looking after their own interests.
Joseph Kim reports.

Report


This is a public golf course in Seogwipo.
It changed from a private one that offers membership into a public one last June to get the nation’s tax benefits.



Public golf courses cannot sell golf memberships, but they can enjoy 100 percent cut in the individual excise tax and 90 percent cut in the property-holding tax.



According to the Korea Leisure Industry Research Center, the tax benefits bring 38,000 won down at a green fee per golfer.



However, a green fee at the public golf course hasn’t been adjusted.
During the weekend, the green fee exceeds 200,000 won, the average green fee at private golf courses.

Other golf courses that converted into public courses do the same practice.



For the COVID-19, golf courses welcome more golfers as indoor sports are discouraged. The increasing demand brings up the price of green fees.
This goes against the national government’s policy to lower the entry barriers of playing golf by lowering green fees.



As local golf courses are looking after their own interest, exempted taxes don’t play a role in lowering the entry barriers to the outdoor sport.

Joseph Kim, KCTV