Seoul's Jung-gu district will continue its transportation subsidy for senior residents without interruption, district mayor Kim Gil-sung announced Monday. The Jung-gu District Council passed the "Ordinance on Transportation Subsidy Support for Senior Citizens of Jung-gu, Seoul" at a plenary session of its 303rd extraordinary session.
The new ordinance was enacted swiftly after the previous one expired June 30, with the district office and council moving in lockstep to prevent any gap in support. The extraordinary session also passed a supplementary budget to fund the program. The outcome marks the first tangible result of civic cooperation between the newly launched ninth elected-term district administration and the 10th Jung-gu District Council.
Jung-gu became the first autonomous district in Seoul to introduce a senior transportation subsidy in November 2023. Residents aged 65 and older who use buses or taxis can claim reimbursements of up to 50,000 won ($34) per month for actual fares paid. As of late May, about 23,800 residents had signed up, cementing the program as one of the district's flagship senior welfare initiatives.
A satisfaction survey conducted last year found that 92.2 percent of respondents were satisfied with the program, and 98.2 percent said they had noticed positive changes in their daily lives since receiving the subsidy. Notably, 79.5 percent said they were going out more often, suggesting the program has meaningfully boosted seniors' social activity and mobility.
Seniors are using the subsidy across a range of everyday needs — hospital visits account for 33.1 percent of usage, followed by grocery shopping at markets or supermarkets at 21.4 percent, commuting to work at 18.1 percent, and meeting family, relatives or friends at 13.3 percent.
To prevent any lapse in a benefit that has become deeply embedded in seniors' daily routines, the district moved quickly to enact the new ordinance. It completed advance procedures, including a legislative notice period, before the old ordinance lapsed, and submitted both the draft ordinance and budget proposal to the council on July 1, the day the ninth elected-term administration took office.
With the ordinance in place and funding secured, the district can now sustain the program on a stable footing. It also plans to build a phone-based taxi-hailing support system for seniors who have difficulty using mobile apps, further improving their access to transportation.
"The transportation subsidy is a solid policy that eases the burden of getting around and helps seniors maintain their daily lives," district mayor Kim said. "We will continue to work closely with the district council to carry out policies that residents truly need, without disruption."
Any Jung-gu resident aged 65 or older can apply for the transportation subsidy by visiting the community service center in their neighborhood.
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