Seoul: The government has initiated a review process to enable foreign tourists to use their overseas-issued credit cards for public transportation in South Korea, officials announced Sunday. The proposed system aims to simplify travel for international visitors by allowing direct payment on buses and subways.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Land and Transport has commissioned a study to explore the introduction of an open-loop public transportation payment system. This study, set to start this month and continue until the end of next year, will investigate how to integrate international credit card payments into the current system. Currently, foreign tourists face the inconvenience of purchasing and recharging transportation cards with cash or using prepaid cards designed specifically for them.

The study will also assess the financial requirements and identify responsible parties for the costs associated with implementing the new system. The need for such a system has become more pressing as South Korea saw a 15.2 percent increase in foreign visitors, reaching 15.82 million from January to October this year.

Similar systems are already operational in major global cities like New York and London, where passengers can use their own credit cards for public transit. A government official noted that a nationwide rollout would be challenging to achieve quickly, suggesting that a phased expansion in collaboration with local governments and public transportation operators is more likely.

Should the study conclude positively, the new payment system could be implemented as early as 2027, the official added.