South Korea Expands ‘Half-Price Vacation’ Program to 145,000 Workers, Adds Bonus for Regional Employees

Poster for the half-price travel support program. [Photo=Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

The South Korean government is sharply expanding eligibility for its “half-price vacation” support program to mark Labor Day, newly designated as the country’s first statutory holiday under that name. The program, initially set for 100,000 people, will grow to 145,000 with an additional budget. The move is aimed at easing workers’ travel costs amid high prices and boosting sluggish regional tourism. Regional workers will receive an extra 20,000 won in support to encourage a virtuous cycle in domestic demand.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization said they will begin additional recruitment of participating companies for the Worker Vacation Support Program starting on the 27th.

◆ Extra budget adds 45,000 more beneficiaries; regional workers get 20,000 won more

Under the additional recruitment, 35,000 employees at small and medium-sized companies and 10,000 at mid-sized firms will newly receive benefits.

A key change is preferential support for workers based in regional areas. Those employees will receive an additional 20,000 won in government support, bringing total vacation funding to the equivalent of 420,000 won. The added support will also be applied retroactively to existing participants who are regional workers, and the extra amount can be used immediately in the dedicated online mall, “Vacation Shop,” starting next month 1.

◆ From 30% off KTX to big-company ‘shared vacation’ support

From the 30th, a monthlong promotion titled “Zero Departure Burden” will encourage travel by environmentally friendly public transportation. Travelers using KTX, rental cars or public-transportation packages can receive a 30% discount, capped at 30,000 won. Aimed at the early May holiday stretch, the promotion also offers lodging discount coupons worth up to 90,000 won and first-come, first-served welcome points for 10,000 new members.

A “shared vacation welfare” model involving large companies and their partners is also spreading. Under the approach, a large company pays the vacation-cost contribution on behalf of employees at partner firms. The ministry cited CJ ENM’s recent support for 300 partner-company employees as an example. The ministry said it will use such cases to encourage participation by public institutions and large companies, with the goal of narrowing welfare gaps in the labor market.

Kang Jeong-won, director general for tourism policy at the ministry, said the goal is to “quickly restore the domestic market through rapid execution of the supplementary budget,” adding that the ministry will help ensure “tangible benefits” for regional workers and bring more activity to local businesses.

* This article has been translated by AI.

KI SU JEONG violet1701@ajunews.com