Gwangju Seo-gu to Operate Korea's First Shared Cars for Mobility-Impaired Seniors Nationwide Starting Next Year

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Starting next year, Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City will implement the nation's first car-sharing service equipped with wheelchair boarding facilities for elderly people with mobility difficulties.

According to Jeon Seung-il, a member of the Seo-gu Council in Gwangju Metropolitan City, the ordinance for sharing cars equipped with wheelchair boarding facilities for elderly people with mobility difficulties was passed by the Seo-gu Council last July.

Accordingly, from next year, a method to alleviate the mobility difficulties of elderly people who use wheelchairs through shared cars has been prepared.

The target users of the shared cars are elderly people aged 65 or older who have difficulty moving without assistance from others.

Among the eligible users as of the application date for wheelchair vehicle use, only those whose resident registration is in Seo-gu, Gwangju can use the service.

Wheelchair vehicle use is allowed once a month for the same elderly person with mobility difficulties, including holidays, for up to 5 days, and the usage fee is free of charge.

However, users must bear other necessary costs such as fuel expenses, toll fees, fines, and penalties incurred during operation.

Councilman Jeon said, “Although we will start with a pilot operation using only two vehicles as the nation’s first service, we will strive to secure more vehicles so that not only elderly people but also people with disabilities can conveniently use the service in the future.”

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