Easier Access to Regional Airports from Jeonju and Gunsan... MOLIT to Launch 23 New Intercity and Express Bus Routes

11 New Express Bus Routes and 12 Intercity Bus Routes

Route Rights to Be Revoked for Unauthorized Service Suspension or Arbitrary Route Changes

New airport bus routes will be established in regions such as Jeonju, Gunsan, and Wando, which have so far suffered from poor airport accessibility. This is expected to strengthen inter-regional connectivity and contribute to the revitalization of local airports and tourism.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on May 20 that, after reviewing intercity and express bus route applications submitted in the second half of last year, it has decided to create 23 new routes. Of these, 12 are intercity bus routes, including 8 airport bus routes: (▲Gimhae Airport↔Jeonju↔Iksan↔Gunsan ▲Cheongju Airport↔Cheongju Bukbu↔Gimcheon↔Gumi↔Dongdaegu ▲Jeonju↔Wanju Innovation City↔Cheongju Airport ▲Incheon Airport↔Incheon↔Haenam↔Wando ▲Hwasun↔Jangseong↔Incheon Airport ▲Incheon Airport↔Yeongam↔Haenam ▲Seosan↔Dangjin↔Cheongju Bukbu↔Cheongju Airport ▲Buan↔Seocheon↔Incheon Airport).

A route connecting Seoul Express Bus Terminal and Pyeongchang will also be newly established, operating four times a day. Previously, intercity buses to Pyeongchang could only be taken from East Seoul Terminal. The route connecting Yuseong, Gyeongju, and Pohang will operate five times a day, taking into account the accessibility needs of residents in the western part of Daejeon, which is somewhat distant from Daejeon Station.

Foreign tourists are waiting to board a bus at the airport bus stop near Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

Eleven new or adjusted express bus routes will be introduced. Four routes — ▲Seosan↔Jeonju (4 times/day), ▲Cheongju↔Dangjin (2 times/day), ▲Cheongju↔Boryeong (4 times/day), and ▲Pyeongtaek↔Changwon (4 times/day) — are brand new. For the route from Seoul to Pohang via Daeidong Post Office, for passenger convenience, the bus will stop at Dongcheon Station Transfer Stop (downbound) and Jukjeon Stop (upbound) as intermediate stations. Including this, seven routes will have changes to intermediate stops or end points.

To prevent monopoly operation by specific operators, the ministry has decided to limit the operation period of these new routes to 11 years, which matches the legal service life of route buses. Whether to renew the routes will be determined after assessing future demand. If service does not begin within one year of route approval, the approval will be revoked. In cases of unauthorized service suspension or business closure, the operator will be excluded from consideration for route competition when new routes are created or existing routes are adjusted.

Meanwhile, for operators that violate route licenses by unauthorized service suspension or arbitrary route changes, the ministry will revise the relevant enforcement decree and work guidelines to allow for the cancellation of such route rights. Previously, penalties were limited to up to a 90-day partial suspension of business or fines, but the government plans to strengthen these penalties. In addition, to uphold the right to metropolitan mobility, the government will designate essential intercity and express bus routes and strengthen its management responsibilities.

Park Jaesoon, Director-General for Transportation and Logistics at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We hope to enhance connectivity between regions and help revitalize local airports," adding, "We will continue to expand necessary routes in each region and implement measures to strengthen the public nature of bus services."

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