Party and Government "National Funding Support for Additional Trains on Seoul Lines 4, 7, 9 and Gimpo Goldline"

"Temporary Support from 2024 to 2027
Commute Time Congestion 190→150%"

The government and the ruling party have announced a plan to temporarily increase the number of trains on certain Seoul subway lines and the Gimpo Gold Line to address the issue of congestion during commuting hours.

Yu Ui-dong, the Policy Committee Chair of the People Power Party, stated at the party’s strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 15th, "The government and ruling party have decided to provide national funding support from next year until 2027 for the temporary addition of new trains on Seoul Subway Lines 4, 7, and 9, as well as the Gimpo Gold Line, which are currently experiencing congestion levels exceeding 150%, classified as severe congestion." The government and ruling party expect that this increase in trains will reduce peak hour congestion from 190% to 150%.

Additional buses will also be deployed on heavily used bus routes. Chair Yu said, "We have reflected national funding subsidies in next year’s budget plan to allow the addition of charter buses on major metropolitan bus routes with high demand during commuting hours."

On the 15th, the People Power Party's floor strategy meeting was held in the National Assembly amid a heavy atmosphere. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Chair Yu explained the background of the review, saying, "With ongoing national-level new town developments, combined with high inflation and rising oil prices, and increased citizen mobility after COVID-19, the demand for public transportation such as subways and metropolitan buses has steadily increased. The reality is that supply has not kept up with demand."

He added, "Subways are overcrowded during commuting hours, and among the 282 metropolitan bus routes in the Seoul metropolitan area, 152 routes experience standing-room-only conditions during commuting times. When congestion is severe, buses sometimes pass stops without stopping, forcing passengers to wait for long periods. This threatens citizen safety and exacerbates commuting inconveniences, so improvements are necessary."

Concerns about worsening congestion following subway line extensions were also expressed. Chair Yu stated, "With the planned GTX, the extension of Seoul Subway Line 7 to Cheongna, and the Phase 4 extension of Line 9, subway congestion is expected to worsen. We will work to alleviate the inconvenience caused by long waits due to non-stop passing."

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