Participation in the 'TeunTeun Money' program, which allows people to accumulate points through exercise and use them for sports gift certificates or local currency, has grown significantly. The number of participants has more than doubled compared with the same period last year, and per-capita actual sports activity time has also increased.

■ Participants Double Last Year's Figure... Per-Capita Exercise Time Up 2 Hours

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 27th that 699,566 people had participated in TeunTeun Money, a sports activity points support program, as of the end of July this year. This is roughly double the 317,117 participants recorded in the same period last year.

TeunTeun Money is a program to promote daily sports participation that gives points to citizens who engage in sports activities for 30 minutes or more, which can be converted into sports gift certificates and other rewards. This is its fourth year of implementation, and the support cap per person is 50,000 points.

Although the points earned per 30 minutes of sports activity was lowered from the previous 1,000 points to 500 points this year, total participation has grown substantially. Surveys show that actual exercise time has also increased, not just new sign-ups. Based on the period of general point accumulation, excluding special points received through new sign-ups and various events, average per-capita sports activity time increased by 2 hours from last year, an increase of about 19%.

■ 8 Billion Won in Support Funds Fully Allocated... Dedicated App and Range of Exercises Also Expanded

With the growth in participation, this year's support funds have been fully used. According to the ministry, this year's 8-billion-won TeunTeun Money support budget recorded a 100% allocation rate. Last year, the 4-billion-won support fund was exhausted early, by the end of June. This year, the support was doubled to 8 billion won through a supplementary budget, but with participants increasing rapidly, all allocation funds have been filled.

Service improvements to enhance user convenience are also underway. In March, the ministry and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation launched a dedicated TeunTeun Money app, allowing users to access point accumulation, inquiry, and conversion functions—which previously had to be checked separately—all in one place. Accessibility improvements were also made for groups with difficulty using digital services, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, and the dedicated mobile app obtained accessibility certification.

The range of exercises eligible for points is also broadening. Since June, in partnership with private exercise apps, stair climbing and hiking have been included as certified sports activities in addition to the existing running category. From late August, the certification scope will be further expanded to include outdoor sports activities such as mountain climbing.

■ Conversion to Local Currency Begins... Usable Facilities Increase to 80,000

Places where accumulated points can be used have also grown. Since July 29, TeunTeun Money points can be converted not only into the existing Zero Pay sports gift certificates but also into Gyeonggi local currency. As a result, the number of facilities where points can be used expanded by about 30% to roughly 80,000.

The ministry and the foundation plan to gradually link the program with local currencies of other local governments to expand the regions and facilities where points can be used. Participants who already hold accumulated points are being guided through app notifications and text messages on converting them into sports gift certificates or local currency.

The program will not be completely suspended even after general point accumulation ends. The ministry and the foundation plan to continue supporting everyday sports participation through separate special accumulation events.

With both participation numbers and exercise time expanding simultaneously, the key point to watch going forward is whether TeunTeun Money can establish itself as a system that encourages exercise in daily life, beyond being a simple point distribution program. [This article was written with AI assistance]