Seoul's 'Climate Ticketing' card to join government's 'Everyone's Card' system in September

Seoul's independent 'Climate Ticketing' card will be integrated into the national 'Everyone's Card' system starting September 1, resolving a months-long dispute between the city government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The city's current 30-day pass will cease to exist at the end of August.

The new 'Everyone's Card (Climate Ticketing Pass)' will combine the government's refund system with Seoul's discount benefits. Seoul becomes the eighth local government to participate in the 'Everyone's Card' regional specialized project. Existing users of the national card will automatically receive Seoul's specialized benefits without needing to reapply.

Seoul has expanded the age range for its youth discount, increasing it from 19-34 to 19-39. This means citizens aged 35 to 39 in Seoul will now be eligible for either a 30% refund on their usage or a flat rate of 55,000 won. To prevent a gap in benefits, the last day to charge the current Climate Ticketing card will be August 31.

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Seoul is becoming the eighth local government to participate in the Everyone's Card regional specialized project, following Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Busan.

This agreement follows a public conflict that erupted in June when Seoul announced plans for a 'Climate Ticketing Card Plus,' which the ministry immediately refuted, citing unresolved issues with the project's application, budget, and system verification. The final plan shifts from Seoul's initial proposal of merging the two systems into a unified card to Seoul participating as a regional specialized project within the existing national framework. The name has also changed from Seoul's proposed 'Climate Ticketing Card Plus' to 'Everyone's Card (Climate Ticketing Pass)'.

While the expansion of the youth age range was incorporated, other demands such as extending the discount age for veterans and linking benefits to the 'Ttareungi' bicycle-sharing service have been deferred to future implementation. Discounts for cultural facilities like Seoullo, Seoul Botanic Park, and Seoul Grand Park also lack specific implementation dates in this announcement.

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The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport refuted Seoul's announcement, stating that project application, budget, and system verification were incomplete.