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It turns out that public golf courses that receive various tax benefits in the name of popularizing golf are paying excessively high rates. As more and more places are more expensive than membership golf courses or operate various tricks, the government decided to improve the system.



By Kim Tae-hoon, staff reporter.



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Se-ri Pak became the first Asian to win the US Women's Open in 1998, suffering from the Asian financial crisis.



After the boom in golf, the government eased various taxes on public golf courses, saying that it would popularize golf the following year.



Even now, 20 years later, the individual consumption tax of 21,120 won is exempted from the usage fee, and the property tax is only levied at 10% of the membership-based golf course.



Recently, there have been a flood of complaints about golf course rates being too high,



[Rep. Park Jeong/Democratic Party (President of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism): There are a lot of complaints from those who liked golf, such as 'I can't go out even once because I want to go out two or three times.'] The



Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission said A total of 354 public golf courses and 158 membership golf courses were investigated.



As a result, it was found that the difference in rates between public golf courses in the metropolitan area, Chungcheong and Honam areas and non-member golf courses was only between 1,000 won and 13,000 won.



The average weekend price of public golf courses in Chungcheong Province was 5,000 won more expensive than membership golf courses.



[Lee Jeong-hee / Vice-Chairman of Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission: Despite the inconvenience of various customers, golf courses are taking such profits, such as raising green fees.] Even



though recruitment of members is prohibited, some public golf courses sell lodging and golf course memberships bundled. I did too.



In addition, it was found that 84% of all golf courses were virtually forced to use additional services such as restaurants and game assistants.



The ACRC recommended the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Fair Trade Commission to revise the standard terms and conditions for golf courses to strengthen management of public golf course fees and incidental service use.



In addition, it was proposed to suspend tax benefits for public golf courses that are operated expediently by membership system.



(Video coverage: Jeong Seong-hwa, video editing: Park Soo-seon)