Daegwangwi Holds Online International Seminar to Explore Metropolitan Transportation Development Plans

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] An online international seminar was held where metropolitan transportation administrative organizations and transportation experts from major cities around the world gathered to explore development plans for the present and future of metropolitan transportation.

The Metropolitan Transportation Committee announced that it held the "Metropolitan Transportation Committee 2020 Online International Seminar" on the morning of the 15th at the Seoul Citizen Hall Taepyeong Hall.

The seminar was held online via the official YouTube channel of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in accordance with social guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with participation from Chairman Choi Ki-joo of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee, Jang Kyung-tae, a member of the National Assembly from the Democratic Party, and Oh Jae-hak, President of the Korea Transport Institute.

Under the theme "Metropolitan Transport: Current Operations and Future Planning," this seminar was organized to share public transportation operations, investment directions, and innovation cases of metropolitan transportation administrative organizations from six countries including the United States and the United Kingdom with domestic and international experts, and to discuss future investment and development directions for metropolitan transportation.

In the first session of the day, with Chairman Choi Ki-joo as the moderator, five transportation experts from five countries including the Paris Metropolitan Transportation Authority in France introduced excellent cases of public transportation such as buses under the theme "Public Transportation Operations and Investment Directions." Patrick Doig, Finance Director of Transport for London in the UK, presented the operational and financial model of the London bus system and cases of improved bus reliability and passenger usage, highlighting the importance of bus operations, route bidding systems, and financial models. Park Moon-soo, Head of the Metropolitan Bus Division at the Metropolitan Transportation Committee, presented the current status of the quasi-public metropolitan bus system using a route bidding method recently promoted to improve metropolitan bus services and financial efficiency, attracting attention from overseas participants.

In the second session, with Professor Emeritus Kim Chang-ho of the University of Illinois in the US as the moderator, four transportation experts from three countries including Australia presented on metropolitan transportation innovation and development under the theme "Future Public Transportation and Technology." Son Deok-hwan, Head of the Metropolitan Transportation Policy Division at the Metropolitan Transportation Committee, drew attention by introducing current issues of the committee such as "Metropolitan Transportation 2030" and mentioning technologies and research projects (R&D) like smart transfers and gate-free systems aimed at strengthening connectivity between transportation modes and improving passenger convenience.

Chairman Choi Ki-joo of the Metropolitan Transportation Committee said, "It was a valuable opportunity to share metropolitan transportation policies and future directions from countries around the world and to discuss investment and development directions." He added, "We plan to reflect the expert opinions discussed at today's seminar in metropolitan transportation policies and strengthen cooperation with local governments and related organizations to create faster, more convenient, and safer metropolitan transportation in major urban areas."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.