Seoul: The Seoul Metropolitan Council has officially approved an ordinance that will grant free bus rides to citizens aged 70 and over. This significant decision was reached in a council session where the proposal passed with a resounding 69-1 vote, accompanied by five abstentions.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this initiative, which was a key campaign promise of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon during the June 3 local elections, aims to enhance public transportation accessibility for seniors, particularly those residing in areas lacking subway stations. The ordinance outlines a subsidy plan for city and community bus fares for senior citizens, with the specific details of the subsidy and implementation to be determined by the city government at a later date.

The city is also contemplating raising the eligible age for free subway rides from 65 to 70 to align with the new bus fare policy. However, to manage financial implications, the city government is considering limiting free bus rides to 14 per month. The estimated annual cost of this initiative is projected to be around 52.5 billion won (US$34 million), which could be offset by increased income from raising the subway ride age, estimated to bring in an additional 57.2 billion won.

Mayor Oh plans to convene a public hearing early next month to solicit feedback from senior citizens, experts, and the general public. Should a consensus be reached swiftly, the city government anticipates implementing the new system as early as next year, although a definitive timeline has yet to be established.