Daegu City to Offer Free City Bus Rides for Seniors Aged 75 and Older Starting July

From 2028, Seniors Aged 70 and Over

Free Access to City Buses and Urban Railways

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Koo Dae-sun] Starting July 1, elderly people aged 75 and over in Daegu will be able to ride city buses for free.

Daegu City announced on the 9th, "We are undergoing administrative procedures to allow elderly people aged 75 and over to use city buses for free starting July 1."

The city plans to lower the free city bus usage age by one year annually: 74 years old in 2024, 73 in 2025, 72 in 2026, and 71 in 2027, and from 2028 onward, elderly people aged 70 and over will continue to ride city buses for free.

Daegu City Hall Sangyeok Office.

Daegu City also plans to keep the free subway usage age at 65 this year as usual, but raise it by one year annually to 66 in 2024, 67 in 2025, 68 in 2026, and 69 in 2027, aligning the free usage age for city buses and subways at 70 years old in 2028.

Originally, Daegu City had planned to allow elderly people aged 70 and over to use city buses and subways for free starting this year, but due to strong opposition from senior citizens' associations and others, the plan was changed to a phased implementation.

During the process of gathering opinions from stakeholders such as the 'Daehan Senior Citizens Association Daegu Federation,' concerns were raised that if the benefits for those aged 65 to 69 were suddenly removed, it could restrict the mobility rights of the elderly. The Daegu City Council also suggested implementing the policy gradually rather than immediately. Therefore, to reduce the shock to citizens who were previously benefiting and to increase understanding and acceptance of the policy, it was decided to proceed sequentially by age group.

A Daegu City official said, "We are completing legislative notices and the enactment of ordinances by the Daegu City Council by the end of March and are undergoing administrative procedures to allow elderly people aged 75 and over to use city buses for free starting July 1."

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, said, "We fully empathize with the opinions of the elderly and the city council and will minimize unnecessary social conflicts through prompt policy decisions," adding, "Since this is a welfare policy implemented as a form of respect and honor for the elderly, we will proceed with careful attention."

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