SEOUL — The Seoul Metropolitan Council is currently deliberating a potential expansion of public transportation fare subsidies for the elderly, a move that could soon allow seniors to ride city buses for free.

On June 9, Lee Byung-yoon, the Transportation Committee Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, officially proposed the "Seoul Ordinance on Transportation Expense Support for the Elderly." The proposed bill aims to bridge the gap in transit welfare between those who rely on subway systems and those who depend on buses for their daily commute.

Addressing Inequity in Transit Welfare

Currently, senior citizens in Seoul enjoy free rides on the city’s extensive subway network under the national Senior Citizens Welfare Act. However, this benefit has historically excluded bus transportation. Councilman Lee noted that this discrepancy has created unintended discrimination based on residential location, as some neighborhoods lack convenient subway access and rely heavily on bus services.

"The goal of this ordinance is to alleviate the financial burden on elderly residents and improve their daily mobility, ensuring universal transit welfare regardless of where they live in the city," Lee explained during the proposal.

Under the provisions of the proposed bill, residents aged 70 or older who meet specific criteria set by the Mayor of Seoul would be eligible for partial or full subsidies for bus fares, covered within the city's annual budget. The ordinance also mandates that the Mayor establish an annual plan to oversee the implementation of these transportation benefits.

The scope of the proposed support is limited to city buses and community buses (village buses) as defined by the Enforcement Rule of the Passenger Transport Service Act. Long-distance modes of travel, such as express buses or intercity buses, are excluded from the plan.

Financial Hurdles and Feasibility

While the proposal has been welcomed by advocates of senior welfare—pointing to regions like Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province that have already implemented free bus rides for the elderly—the path to passage in the Seoul Metropolitan Council remains uncertain. The primary obstacle is the significant fiscal burden required to sustain the program.

According to a financial analysis conducted by the Council’s Secretariat, issuing free transit cards to residents aged 70 and older for bus travel is projected to cost approximately 578.8 billion KRW (roughly 430 million USD) over the next five years.

The estimate was calculated based on the average monthly bus usage rates and fares among the elderly population. Furthermore, the financial pressure is expected to intensify as the city’s demographic structure continues to age. With the population of residents aged 70 and older growing by approximately 5% annually, the budget requirement is forecast to rise steadily.

Projections indicate that the cost would start at 104.7 billion KRW in its first year of implementation, climbing to 127.5 billion KRW by 2031.

The Path Forward

The debate over this ordinance reflects a broader national conversation regarding the sustainability of welfare programs in the face of rapid aging. While the policy aims to provide essential support for the elderly's active participation in society, the Seoul Metropolitan Government must balance these social goals against the realities of municipal fiscal health.

As the Council prepares for further discussions, citizens and policymakers alike are watching closely to see if Seoul will join the ranks of other regions that have prioritized bus fare relief for seniors. The outcome of the deliberations will serve as a crucial test of how the capital city manages the intersection of aging demographic policies and sustainable public fiscal management.

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