'Unlimited Seoul Public Transport Card for 65,000 KRW per Month'... Oh Se-hoon's Bid for Presidency?

Assemblywoman Sim Sang-jung "One-sided and Hasty"
"Same Purpose and Means as K-Pass"

On the previous day, Seoul City announced the introduction of the 'Climate Companion Card,' which allows unlimited use of Seoul public transportation for 65,000 won per month. In response, Sim Sang-jung, a lawmaker from the Justice Party, raised suspicions that this card might be a preparation for Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's presidential bid.

On the 12th, through her social media (SNS), Rep. Sim stated, "There are many criticisms that the 'Climate Companion Card' announced by Seoul City yesterday was unilaterally and hastily prepared for Mayor Oh's presidential race," adding, "I hope Mayor Oh promptly collaborates with the Governor of Gyeonggi Province and the Mayor of Incheon to come up with an integrated metropolitan public transportation support plan."

Sim Sang-jung, a member of the Justice Party, is speaking at a bipartisan political reform lawmakers' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 3rd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The usage of the Climate Companion Card is limited to Seoul, disregarding the convenience of citizens commuting from metropolitan areas such as Gyeonggi Province or Incheon to Seoul. She said, "Mayor Oh must painfully accept the criticism that Seoul's Climate Companion Card is a half-baked fare system trapped in Seoul's administrative selfishness, ultimately failing to accompany metropolitan citizens," and added, "I hope support measures that accompany urgent livelihood issues will be introduced, such as the Justice Party's '30,000 won Free Pass' half-price flat-rate ticket system."

She also pointed out that it overlaps with the government's ongoing 'K-Pass' project. The K-Pass is scheduled to be implemented next year and reimburses 20-53% of transportation costs to those who use the subway and bus more than 21 times a month. Rep. Sim said, "The government's planned 'K-Pass' and Seoul City's 'Climate Companion Card' share the same purpose and means," adding, "Policies that are fragmented and duplicated due to administrative convenience or the ambitions of agency heads are detrimental to the public. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport should actively prepare efficient integrated linkage measures."