'Expansion of Income Tax Deduction for Cultural Expenses on Sports Facilities' Policy Delivers Tangible Results → Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "Sales at Gyms and Pools Surge, Confirming Substantial Impact"

*This content was translated by AI.

The government's policy titled 'Expansion of Income Tax Deduction for Cultural Expenses on Sports Facilities,' introduced to support citizens' leisure activities and revitalize the sports industry, has achieved clear results just one year after implementation. Since the policy was enacted, sales at gyms, swimming pools, and other facilities have surged explosively, with data confirming the policy's tangible effectiveness.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young, hereinafter "the Ministry") announced findings from an analysis of consumption trends before and after the policy's implementation, based on card payment data from registered cultural expense deduction businesses and anonymized combined data from credit rating agencies. According to this analysis, since the policy was fully implemented, not only card sales at sports facility operators but also the number of users and average spending per person rose significantly.

The most striking change is in the scale of sales. In the second half of the year following the policy's implementation, card payment sales for fitness centers (gyms) reached 82.73 billion won, a 354.7% increase from the first half (18.19 billion won), jumping to 4.5 times the previous level. Swimming pools also recorded a remarkable surge, with sales rising from 5.11 billion won in the first half to 17.92 billion won in the second half—a 250.6% (3.5-fold) increase.

In particular, monthly sales trends show that both sales and the number of users surged immediately after the policy was implemented and remained at high levels through year-end. A Ministry official explained, "This is not merely a short-term temporary effect; it demonstrates that the income tax deduction benefit has led to sustained use of sports facilities and expanded consumption among citizens."

This policy did more than simply increase spending by existing users; it also achieved significant 'expansion of the base' by increasing the total number of people using sports facilities. The number of fitness center users in the second half increased by 85.0% (from 357,000 to 661,000) compared to the first half, while swimming pool users rose by 58.7% (from 311,000 to 493,000).

Additionally, the average card payment amount per user (monthly total) also increased substantially. Fitness centers saw a 144.5% rise (from 307,460 won to 751,843 won), and swimming pools recorded a 120.8% increase (from 98,669 won to 217,910 won). It is interpreted that thanks to the income tax deduction benefit, users became more actively engaged in sports activities by purchasing long-term memberships or signing up for additional lessons.

The 'Expansion of Income Tax Deduction for Cultural Expenses on Sports Facilities' policy allows employees with total annual income of 70 million won or less to claim a 100% deduction on usage fees and a 50% deduction on lesson fees paid at registered sports facilities (fitness centers, swimming pools, comprehensive sports facilities, and public sports facilities) during year-end tax settlement.

Commenting on these findings, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Second Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun stated, "Expanding the income tax deduction for sports facility usage fees is a project that has gained broad public support from the perspective of revitalizing the sports industry and promoting citizen participation in leisure activities." He further emphasized, "The Ministry will continue to operate this policy more proactively and effectively so that citizens can directly experience its benefits in their daily lives."

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*This content was translated by AI.