[K bank]
[K bank]

K bank announced Thursday it will expand public transit cashback benefits on its ONE debit card for the fourth quarter of this year.

From October through December, K bank will offer ONE debit card customers up to 15,000 won ($11) in transit cashback over the three-month period. The bank has eased eligibility requirements so customers can receive the cashback without meeting a prior-month spending threshold, while those who do meet the spending requirement can receive up to 5,000 won per month. The offer represents the highest cashback level among debit cards compatible with the "Modu-ui Card (K-Pass)" government transit reimbursement program.

Previously, customers had to meet both a prior-month spending requirement of 300,000 won or more and a monthly transit spending requirement of at least 50,000 won to receive 3,000 won back per month. Under the new promotion, customers who spend 50,000 won or more on public transit in a given month will receive 2,500 won in cashback regardless of their prior-month spending.

By maintaining the transit spending threshold while lowering the prior-month spending bar, K bank has broadened eligibility to include customers who use the card primarily for commuting costs. Customers who also meet the 300,000 won prior-month spending requirement will receive 5,000 won per month instead. The two tiers are mutually exclusive and cannot be combined.

The cashback is provided separately from the government reimbursement under the Modu-ui Card (K-Pass) program, meaning customers who use their ONE debit card for K-Pass benefits can stack the government refund with the additional card cashback. No separate application is required — the benefit applies automatically once the usage conditions are met. Cashback is paid the month after the transit spending is recorded: October usage will be credited in November, November usage in December, and December usage in January next year.

The ONE debit card is K bank's flagship debit product, carrying no annual fee and allowing customers to choose one of three cashback benefit tracks based on their spending habits. Since last month, K bank has been running its "Benefits Promotion Season 6," which expanded the base benefits of its "All Cashback" tier and launched promotions including "Check-in Cashback" and "Best Friend Unlimited Cashback."

"We prepared this cashback expansion so that customers who rely heavily on public transit can feel more tangible benefits in their daily lives," a K bank official said. "We plan to continue rolling out a variety of promotions tailored to customers' spending patterns and lifestyles."


forest@heraldcorp.com