Handuksoo's Response "Taxi Fare 1000 Won"... Opposition Lawmaker Criticizes "Transportation Costs Are Serious"

30th National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee Full Meeting
Prime Minister Han Deok-soo Breaks a Sweat Over Opposition Lawmaker's Transportation Expense Question

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo answered that the basic taxi fare is 1000 won and the bus fare is 2000 won, drawing criticism from opposition party lawmakers.

On the 30th, during the plenary session of the National Assembly Budget and Accounts Committee, Han responded to a question from Lee Soo-jin, a proportional representative of the Democratic Party of Korea, who asked, "Do you know how much the taxi fare in Seoul has increased?" by saying, "Well, isn't it about 1000 won?"

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is responding to lawmakers' questions at the full meeting of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts held at the National Assembly on the 30th. Photo by Yonhap News

In response, Rep. Lee pointed out, "It has increased from 3800 won to 4800 won," adding, "This is a very important factor in price inflation and a hardship for the people. Taxi fares in 10 metropolitan cities have also been raised by 26%. Even local governments that had restrained fare hikes are now announcing increases."

Prime Minister Han hesitated when asked about the Seoul bus fare by Rep. Lee, saying, "Now it's about 2000..." Rep. Lee corrected him, saying, "It was 1200 won but has increased to 1500 won," and emphasized, "You need to be well informed. Transportation costs are a serious burden for ordinary people."

Prime Minister Han explained, "The reason I mentioned 1000 won for the taxi fare is because I had received many reports and had been thinking about the upcoming increase, so I must have been mistaken."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han's remarks recall the 2008 controversy involving Chung Mong-joon, then Supreme Council member of the Grand National Party (now chairman of the Asan Foundation), over the "70 won bus fare." During a live TV debate for the Grand National Party leadership election, when Rep. Gong Sung-jin asked, "Do you know the basic bus fare that ordinary people pay?" Chung replied, "These days, people use cards. It's about 70 won per ride," which sparked controversy.

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