364 Billion Won, 20% Higher Than Government Proposal... Total of 101 Routes to Be Applied by Next Year
[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] Gyeonggi Province announced on the 8th that "an agreement has been reached for the national government to bear 50% of the cost for the semi-public metropolitan bus system within the province next year."
Accordingly, the national government subsidy for the semi-public metropolitan bus system in Gyeonggi Province for next year has been confirmed at 36.4 billion KRW, an increase of 20% from the previous 30%. Including the remaining 50% local government cost of 36.4 billion KRW, the total related budget for next year amounts to 72.8 billion KRW.
This is an increased amount from the initially allocated 15.15 billion KRW by the government, resulting from the 20% increase in the national government’s share and the rise in support funds for new routes in 2022 from 500 million KRW to 800 million KRW.
Previously, in May 2019, the province jointly announced with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport a "Bus Sector Development Plan" addressing driver recruitment due to the implementation of the 52-hour workweek.
The plan included raising fares for general city buses in Gyeonggi Province, gradually transferring metropolitan bus routes within the province to the Metropolitan Transport Committee (Daegwangwi) over five years, and agreeing to increase the national government’s share of the semi-public system to 50%.
As a result, the number of semi-public metropolitan bus routes operated as national affairs in Gyeonggi Province is expected to increase to a total of 101 routes next year (66 routes transferred to Daegwangwi and 8 new routes), following 9 routes in 2020 and 18 routes this year.
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