'Free Rides at 70'... Seoul Launches Committee for Comprehensive Review

Ordinance to Support Bus Fare for Seniors Aged 70 and Above

Building Social Consensus through Thorough Deliberation

Gathering Public Opinion via Citizen Forums and Public Hearings

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has initiated social discussions to revamp the elderly transportation welfare system. The main approach is to raise the eligible age for benefits, while extending the subway free ride policy to buses.

On August 20, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the launch of the "Seoul Elderly Transportation Welfare Committee" to comprehensively review the city’s transportation welfare system for seniors.

Passengers boarding and alighting at Jamsil Station on Seoul Subway Line 2. Photo by Younghan Hur younghan@

Last month, the Seoul Metropolitan Government enacted an ordinance raising the free public transportation age from the current 65 to 70, and expanding eligibility to include buses in addition to subways. This established a legal basis for fare subsidies, but the specific beneficiaries and the start date will be decided through further discussion.

The newly formed committee is tasked with reviewing the sustainability of the system and its finances, and helping forge social consensus. The committee consists of 10 members, including Chairperson Kim Youngwon (professor at Sookmyung Women’s University) and nine other members.

The urban rail free-ride policy, introduced in 1984, has contributed to transportation welfare for seniors, but those living in areas without subway lines have not benefitted. Critics have also pointed out that the current free subway ride system for those aged 65 and older does not reflect the changing population structure. According to a government survey on the status of elderly people, the average age at which Koreans consider one to be elderly is 71.6 years. The labor force participation rate for people aged 65 and older has also increased sharply, from 29.6% in 2000 to a projected 40.7% in 2025.

Such demographic changes have not been fully reflected in Seoul’s fiscal management. The loss from free rides borne by Seoul Metro due to the increase in the population aged 65 and older is expected to surge from 50.4 billion won in 2000 to 383.3 billion won in 2025.

The committee plans to hold in-depth discussions through subcommittees to develop a range of proposals and organize a forum with more than 150 participants, including stakeholders and citizens, to build broad social consensus.

At the inaugural meeting held on August 19, the director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Transportation Policy Division delivered the first presentation, explaining the need for system reform under the topic "Background to Promoting Elderly Transportation Welfare in Seoul." The second presentation was delivered by the Daegu Policy Research Institute, discussing the introduction of Daegu’s integrated free public transport programme, changes in transportation usage, and travel purposes before and after its implementation. The Seoul Institute, which was responsible for the third presentation, unveiled the results of a public perception survey conducted in August this year. According to the survey, 77% of respondents supported raising the free subway age and providing bus fare subsidies to those aged 70 and older, while 57.4% of those aged 65 to 69 were in favor.

Jangkwon Yeo, policy chief at the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Transportation Bureau, stated, “While directly confronting the rapid aging and changes in fiscal conditions, we will work with citizens to craft a balanced solution that truly guarantees the mobility rights of older adults.” He went on to say, “We will thoroughly examine alternative policies, including adjusting the free ride age for subways and supporting bus fares for seniors. Our review will also cover coordinated implementation across metropolitan transportation agencies, the long-term fiscal sustainability, and complementary measures for vulnerable groups.”

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