Seoul City to Support Public Transportation Costs for 150,000 Youths Aged 19 to 24

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the ‘Youth Public Transportation Fare Support’ program to ease the transportation cost burden for young people in their early 20s who are taking their first steps into society. This initiative is a flagship youth-oriented policy under the ‘Youth Happiness Project’ announced by Mayor Oh Se-hoon on March 23.

According to Seoul City on the 24th, the program targets youths aged 19 to 24 whose public transportation fare discounts end as they transition from adolescence to youth. They will receive a 20% refund on public transportation fares, up to 100,000 KRW annually, credited as transportation mileage that can be used when riding buses or subways.

When transitioning from adolescence to youth, public transportation fares increase from 720 KRW to 1,200 KRW, a 66.7% rise. In fact, young people identified ‘transportation costs’ (34.7%) as the third most burdensome expense after food and housing costs.

Seoul City will invest 15.5 billion KRW of municipal funds this year to support 150,000 youths aged 19 to 24. This is the largest number of beneficiaries ever supported by a single youth policy project in Seoul. The plan is to establish this as the first policy young people encounter and one that they can feel more broadly.

Seoul City will recruit participants for the Youth Public Transportation Fare Support program from April 27 to May 27 through the comprehensive youth policy platform ‘Cheongnyeon Mongttang Jeongbotong’ (Youth All-in-One Information Portal). Selection results will be individually notified via ‘Cheongnyeon Mongttang Jeongbotong’ on June 8. The distribution of transportation mileage will begin in the second half of the year.

Any Seoul youth aged 19 to 24 who is not currently participating in a similar program can apply. Participants will receive 20% of their actual transportation card usage (up to 100,000 KRW per person annually) as transportation mileage, paid twice a year. The mileage can be used for public transportation for up to five years.

Seoul City plans not only to provide public transportation fare support but also to enhance the support effect by offering customized youth policy information tailored to each individual. When applying for transportation fare support, based on the interest information set in ‘Cheongnyeon Mongttang Jeongbotong,’ text messages will be sent in line with the timing of policy and project applications. The goal is to ensure that youths do not miss out on benefits due to lack of awareness or timing.

Kim Cheol-hee, head of Seoul City’s Future Youth Planning Division, said, “For youths aged 19 to 24, who have relatively weak foundations for independence, the sudden increase in transportation costs is a significant burden. We expect the Youth Public Transportation Fare Support program to lighten the shoulders of young people taking their first steps into society, even if just a little.” He added, “By continuously providing not only transportation fare support but also customized youth policy information to 150,000 participants, we will expand the connection points to Seoul City policies and ensure that youths do not miss out on the policies they need and receive the benefits.”

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