Proposal to Provide Annual Public Transportation Subsidies of 160,000 Won for Middle and High School Students in Seoul

Pledge Implementation Committee Delivers White Paper to Seoul Education Chief

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education’s Pledge Implementation Committee has delivered a white paper containing concrete action plans for pledges such as “providing public transportation subsidies” and “financial support for field trip costs for elementary and middle school students” to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will review the feasibility of implementing the policy proposals included in the white paper and move forward accordingly.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on September 7, the white paper proposed by the Pledge Implementation Committee includes 50 tasks across five key domains: ▲Future-oriented holistic education through creativity and empathy ▲Responsible education that guarantees learning opportunities for all ▲Sustainable democratic citizenship education ▲Equitable access to educational welfare ▲Safe and peaceful educational communities.

Among these, in the area of educational welfare, the plan includes guaranteeing students' right to mobility for educational purposes by providing public transportation subsidies.

The proposal suggests providing long-distance commuting students with support for bus or subway fares once per weekday, up to an annual limit of 160,000 won. The Committee outlined a timeline to pilot this initiative with 12th graders in 2028, expand it to all grades in high school in 2029, and further extend it to middle school students in phases by 2030.

The Committee also included in the white paper a policy for the gradual provision of field trip subsidies for elementary and middle school students in Seoul, amid the reduction of hands-on school field trips. This plan would reimburse actual expenses—such as admission fees, activity fees, vehicle rental, and meal costs—for non-overnight field trips, up to 100,000 won per student.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to utilize the proposals outlined in the white paper in implementing pledges and advancing policy efforts. However, the office has decided to determine methods of implementation by comprehensively reviewing the specific circumstances and feasibility at each school. In addition, the Office will hold a large-scale civic forum involving students, teachers, parents, citizens, and experts to share plans for implementing these pledges and to foster communication with the school community, thereby ensuring policies are closely tailored to on-the-ground realities.

Kim Jaehyung, Chair of the Pledge Implementation Committee, stated, "Together, we have considered the future direction of education in Seoul based on the perspectives of students, faculty, parents, and citizens," adding, "We hope that the educational vision and policy proposals developed by the Committee will contribute meaningfully to fulfilling Seoul's educational commitments."

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Jeong Geunsik stated, "We will carefully consider the viewpoints and proposals from the educational community included in the white paper, closely examine the realities at our schools and the feasibility of the policies, and move forward responsibly to fulfill the commitments of education in Seoul."

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