Gym and pool fees added to cultural expense tax deductions; lifestyle sports support expanded

Munhwa Nuri Card benefit raised, movie discount vouchers issued to broaden cultural access

Stronger protections for young entertainers, crackdown on ticket scalping, industry reforms

Photo not related to article [Getty Images Bank]
Photo not related to article [Getty Images Bank]

The government will overhaul a range of policies in culture, sports and tourism in the second half of this year, expanding cultural expense tax deductions and raising Munhwa Nuri Card benefits to ease the financial burden of cultural consumption. The reforms also include stronger protections for young entertainers and enhanced human rights safeguards in the sports sector.

Starting Wednesday, gym and swimming pool membership fees at about 1,000 facilities nationwide will qualify for the cultural expense income tax deduction. Workers earning up to 70 million won ($45,300) annually can deduct 30 percent of their facility fees, up to a maximum of 3 million won per year — a measure the government expects to boost participation in recreational sports.

The annual benefit provided through the Munhwa Nuri Card — issued to recipients of basic livelihood support and near-poverty households — will rise from 130,000 won to 140,000 won. About 2.64 million people are expected to benefit.

Starting in August, an amended Entertainment Industry Development Act will take effect, strengthening protections for teenage entertainers. The government will gain authority to demand document submissions to safeguard the human rights of young celebrities, and talent agencies will face greater legal responsibility for their protection.

From Sept. 26, the requirement that entertainment management companies maintain an "independent office" will be relaxed to simply require an "office," allowing registration from shared workspaces and co-working facilities. The change is intended to lower the barrier to entry for content industry startups.

From August, the Sports Ethics Center will be empowered to distinguish between requests for heavy and light disciplinary action in cases involving human rights violations and corruption in sports. Its investigative authority and mandate for institutional reform will also be strengthened.

The government will distribute 4.5 million movie ticket discount vouchers worth 6,000 won each to stimulate cinema attendance. The vouchers will be redeemable at movie theaters nationwide until the budget is exhausted.

The Youth Culture and Arts Pass will be expanded beyond performances to cover book purchases as well, broadening cultural access for young people.

Financial penalties and a whistleblower reward system will be introduced for ticket scalping at performances and sporting events. Online enforcement against scalpers will also be stepped up.

An emergency blocking procedure will be introduced for copyright-infringing websites to curb the distribution of illegal content. The government will also strengthen its response to illegal sites operating through overseas servers.


adastra@heraldcorp.com