Seoul City Council passes ordinance for free bus rides for seniors 70 and older

The Seoul City Council has passed an ordinance that lays the legal groundwork for subsidizing bus fares for residents aged 70 and older. The "Seoul Metropolitan Government Ordinance on Support for Senior Citizens' Transportation Costs" was approved on Tuesday with 69 votes in favor, one against, and five abstentions among the 75 council members present.

This ordinance allows Seoul to provide financial support for city and village bus fares for citizens aged 70 and above who are registered residents. The city plans to fully cover these fares, up to a maximum of 14 trips per month, within the allocated budget. In conjunction with this bus fare support, the city intends to raise the age for free subway rides from the current 65 to 70.

Seoul's population was approximately 9.23 million as of the end of last year. Of this, 1.25 million residents, or about 13.6%, were aged 70 or older, while an additional 648,113 people, or 7.0%, were between 65 and 69 years old. The estimated annual cost for this new bus fare support program is 52 billion won (approximately $38 million), a figure initially projected when Mayor Oh Se-hoon first proposed the policy.

While the ordinance has passed the city council, the exact start date and implementation details for the bus fare support remain undecided. Key steps include reaching an agreement on adjusting the subway free ride age and securing the necessary funding. Following these, the city must formulate its budget, which will then be reviewed and approved by the city council. The city plans to initiate public discussion on these transportation policies by holding a "Senior Citizens' Public Transportation Policy Forum" with the Seoul Federation of Senior Citizens' Associations early next month.