Woo Hyeong-chan, Seoul City Council Member, Begins First Term by Encouraging Early Bus Operators

Representative Woo visits Yangcheon Public Bus Garage at 3:30 AM with Representative Lee Yong-seon to encourage workers... Newly appointed Seoul City Councilor Woo Hyung-chan, Yangcheon District Councilors Yoon In-sook, Lee Jae-woong, Oh Hae-jung, Ok Dong-jun, and Kwak Go-eun greet customers on the first bus departure and listen to complaints

Seoul City Councilor Woo Hyeong-chan (far left), National Assembly Member Lee Yong-seon (third from left), and Yangcheon District Council members visited the Yangcheon Public Bus Garage before the early morning bus operation to hear the current status and encourage the officials.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] On July 1st at 3:30 a.m., Seoul Metropolitan Council member Woo Hyung-chan visited Yangcheon Public Garage along with National Assembly member Lee Yong-seon (Yangcheon-eul) and Yangcheon district council members. They listened to the current status and encouraged the first bus drivers (Yangcheon 6516, Dowon 6514) departing from Yangcheon Public Garage at 4 a.m., cheering them on for their early morning departures.

Yangcheon Public Garage is responsible for the Yangcheon area route buses among the total 29 public garages in Seoul. It houses 17 bus companies operating a total of 384 buses. The Seoul Facilities Management Corporation manages all facilities including parking lots, maintenance buildings, car wash buildings, and charging stations (CNG, electric).

National Assembly member Lee Yong-seon, Council member Woo Hyung-chan, and Yangcheon district council members Yoon In-sook, Lee Jae-woong, Oh Hae-jung, Ok Dong-jun, and Kwak Go-eun visited the dispatch office to assess the situation. They listened to concerns regarding bus stop relocations, verification of boarding devices for disabled passengers, and the hardships of drivers on long-distance routes that take four hours per operation, promising improvements accordingly.

The Seoul Facilities Corporation plans to repave the aging parking lot floor of Yangcheon Public Garage, which has been in operation for 16 years since June 2006, and improve rest areas for bus operation staff. Construction is scheduled from June to December this year.

During a briefing on the Yangcheon garage renovation plan, National Assembly member Lee Yong-seon requested, “Please ensure thorough management of the construction so that there are no disruptions to bus operations or inconveniences to bus operation staff due to the rest area improvement project and parking lot paving work.” He added, “I hope you will continue to do your best to ensure stable operation of buses in the Yangcheon area.”

Council member Woo Hyung-chan said, “I am very honored to start my first duties as a member of the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council at Yangcheon Public Garage, together with the first bus drivers and company officials who brighten Yangcheon’s early mornings.” He emphasized, “For local residents to use buses safely and conveniently, stable bus service is most important, and for that, the staff must be comfortable and secure.” He requested, “The Seoul Metropolitan Government and bus companies should make every effort to improve the welfare of bus operation staff.”

Meanwhile, Council member Woo is expected to be elected as the vice-chairman candidate of the Democratic Party at the opening ceremony of the 11th Seoul Metropolitan Council’s first half session held on the afternoon of the 4th.