Name the 'Hangang Bus'... Seoul City Holds Naming Contest

'Hangang Bus' Ship Name Contest... Up to 3 Entries Per Person
8 Vessels to Begin Operation in March Next Year Aligned with New Brand
Expansion Considered Ahead of Additional 4 Vessel Introductions

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will decide the names of eight new 'Hangang Buses,' a new water transportation means on the Han River, through public ideas. The Hangang Bus is a new water public transportation system connecting major points along the Han River by boat. Eight vessels will be introduced by the end of the year, undergo a pilot operation period, and begin official service from March next year.

According to Seoul City on the 22nd, the contest will run for 13 days from the 25th of this month to the 7th of next month, and anyone who is a citizen of the Republic of Korea can participate. Each person can submit up to three entries. To participate, applicants can download the form from the Seoul City website, the Seoul Future Hangang Headquarters website, or Naesonane Seoul (Contest) and then submit their entries.

Generally, ship names are often derived from astronomical terms, flowers, names of historical figures, the country or city where the ship operates, or pure Korean words. Seoul City plans to select names that symbolize Seoul and the Han River and are friendly to users by collecting innovative ideas from the public, including these common examples.

Seoul City will select a total of eight names in November through internal and expert evaluations, comprehensively assessing how well the names express the innovation, symbolism, and popularity of the Hangang Bus, as well as whether the names are easy to empathize with and understand. Winners will receive gift certificates worth 200,000 KRW each. Especially, with eight vessels introduced this year and four more planned for next year, the evaluation will also consider whether the names have brand value and scalability to be used affectionately for the Hangang Bus.

Earlier in August, Seoul City held a contest to name the water public transportation service brand and decided on 'Hangang Bus,' unveiling the logo and vessel designs. The vessels are equipped with a total of 199 individual seats, an onboard cafeteria, and bicycle racks, with a fare of 3,000 KRW. Boarding is also possible with the Climate Companion Card (68,000 KRW including Hangang Bus). The Hangang Bus logo combines images symbolizing 'Han River + boat + river + community' to create an intuitive design that clearly reflects the brand's characteristics at a glance. It is also notable that the visual language was combined to make the logo identifiable even from a distance.

Joo Yong-tae, head of Seoul's Future Hangang Headquarters, said, "The Hangang Bus, a water public transportation means representing Seoul, will begin official operation from March next year with names given by the public. We will proceed with the project without any setbacks to ensure it is loved not only by Seoul citizens but also by foreigners as a safe and comfortable public transportation."

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