"Golf Course Rice Cake Skewers Priced at 36,000 Won, Makgeolli at 12,000 Won" Park Jung Criticizes Price Gouging Amid COVID-19 Boom

"Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Should Establish Golf Course Usage Price Guidelines Through Regular Surveys"

Hwang Hee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is responding during the audit of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 1st.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] There have been criticisms that many golf courses are excessively raising food and beverage prices to exploit the special demand caused by COVID-19, thereby making excessive profits.

Park Jung, the ruling party's spokesperson on the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, urged government-level measures during the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) audit on the 1st, stating, "Last year, golf course operating profits increased by 54% compared to the previous year," and "It costs nearly 500,000 won per person to play one round of golf."

Park also pointed out the tax benefits such as acquisition tax, property tax, and comprehensive real estate tax granted by the government to public golf courses to promote golf popularization, saying, "There is a phenomenon where public golf course fees have surpassed those of membership golf courses," and criticized, "This is an act of deceiving the government and the public by public golf courses."

Furthermore, Park said, "Looking at the fact that cart rental fees at golf courses operated by local governments and public institutions differ by a factor of 20, cart fees are basically whatever price they ask for," and added, "While outside food is prohibited, golf courses are making excessive profits by selling food inside. For example, a bottle of Makgeolli priced at around 1,000 won is sold for 12,000 won, and snacks like Tteokbokki are sold for 36,000 won."

Park proposed to Minister Hwang Hee of the MCST, "The government must impose strong sanctions on the brazen business practices and abuse of power at golf courses," and "The MCST should create guidelines for golf course usage fees through regular surveys."

In response, Minister Hwang said, "I will check if there are any unfair cases."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.