'80 Million Won Disaster Relief Fund Provided to Bus Drivers Hit Hard by COVID-19'

Non-Public and Non-Quasi-Public Route Bus and Charter Bus Drivers
Applications Accepted for Sequential Payments Starting Next Month

Due to the decrease in tourists caused by COVID-19, the Tancheon Parking Lot in Songpa-gu, Seoul, is filled with tour buses on the 25th. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

The government will provide disaster relief funds of 800,000 KRW per person to 92,000 bus drivers starting early next month.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 13th that it will distribute disaster relief funds from early next month to support bus drivers whose income has decreased due to reduced bus transportation demand amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The recipients of the disaster relief funds are bus drivers of non-public and semi-public route buses, as well as charter bus drivers, who have been employed for more than two months as of today. Those whose income has decreased due to COVID-19 can receive 800,000 KRW per person.

The eligible bus drivers include 57,000 drivers of non-public and semi-public route buses and 35,000 charter bus drivers, totaling 92,000 drivers.

Bus drivers must apply for the disaster relief funds through their company or local government from the 23rd of this month until the 3rd of next month. Documents proving their employment duration (at least two months) and income reduction (corporate or individual) are required.

Local governments will verify the eligibility of applicants and begin distributing the disaster relief funds sequentially from early next month.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to actively collaborate with local governments to ensure the disaster relief funds are fully distributed before and after Chuseok.

Eom Myung-so, Director General of Comprehensive Transportation Policy at the Ministry, said, "The bus industry is facing great difficulties due to the decrease in bus passengers caused by the spread of COVID-19," adding, "We will actively work with local governments to ensure the disaster relief funds are distributed promptly."

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