![A senior citizen passes through a subway turnstile in Seoul. (Not related to this article) [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/11/news-p.v1.20260709.30a351753d9a4435b1cd0a89c41eef80_P1.png)
Seoul's push to raise the minimum age for free subway rides — a plan proposed by the Seoul branch of the Korea Senior Citizens Association — has run into trouble, as the association's national headquarters is demanding broader social consensus before any changes are made.
A public hearing that the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul branch of the Korea Senior Citizens Association had planned to hold earlier this month was postponed indefinitely. A senior Seoul city official said the city is struggling to reschedule the hearing after the national headquarters weighed in, adding that the city intends to refine its proposal before holding the forum.
According to Booyoung Group, Lee Jung-keun — chairman of the Korea Senior Citizens Association and also chairman of Booyoung Group — met with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon on June 25 and said raising the free-ride age is a sensitive matter requiring public hearings and broader social agreement first. Lee also said any significant policy change must go through consultation with the Korea Senior Citizens Association.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government issued a press release on June 22 saying it had received an official letter from the Seoul branch of the Korea Senior Citizens Association proposing a public hearing on senior public transit policy. According to the city, the Seoul branch said it had long emphasized the need to expand public transit support for seniors to promote their health and well-being, and that it welcomed a campaign pledge by the ninth-term Seoul mayor to exempt seniors aged 70 and older from bus fares for fewer than 15 rides per month, urging swift implementation.
In the same release, the city said Oh had met with Ko Gwang-seon, chairman of the Seoul branch of the Korea Senior Citizens Association, on June 19 and exchanged positive views on key policies — including raising the free subway ride age to 70 and above, and fully subsidizing transit costs for seniors aged 70 and older who use public transit fewer than 15 times a month and do not benefit from the K-Pass program. The senior transit subsidy policy is one of the major transportation campaign pledges for the ninth-term Seoul mayor. The city said it plans to raise the current free-ride age on urban rail from 65 to 70, reduce the operating deficit on urban rail, and use the resulting savings to partially subsidize bus fares for seniors aged 70 and older.
The national headquarters of the Korea Senior Citizens Association expressed displeasure, saying the announcement was made without prior consultation. A spokesperson for the headquarters said the issue is not limited to Seoul, as it affects seniors across the greater metropolitan area, and criticized the city for announcing the plan without going through the national body.
A central point of contention is the potential backlash from those aged 65 to 69, who would lose their free-ride eligibility under the proposed change. According to Seoul's registered population statistics as of April 27 this year, approximately 648,000 residents fall in that age group.
The city is also considering the approach taken by Daegu as one possible model. Daegu revised its municipal ordinance in 2023 to raise the free subway ride age by one year annually starting from 65. In exchange, it lowered the age threshold for free city bus rides from 75 to 70. As a result, the minimum age for free subway rides in Daegu rose to 66 in 2024, 67 last year and 68 this year, with the threshold set to reach 70 by 2028. Meanwhile, the free bus ride age was lowered to 74 in 2024, 73 in 2025 and 72 this year.
Daegu overhauled its free-ride system to address chronic fiscal deficits driven by rapid aging and to ensure the long-term sustainability of its urban rail operations. The revenue lost to free rides on Daegu's urban rail lines 1 through 3 reached approximately 67.2 billion won ($44.5 million) last year alone.
A Seoul city official said the city will review cases such as Daegu's as a reference. However, on the question of what happens to those already entitled to free rides, the official said retroactive application would not be possible once the relevant laws are amended.
cook@heraldcorp.com
