Special Crackdown and Prevention Campaign on Fare Evasion Until the 2nd of Next Month
Seoul Metro announced on the 18th that it will conduct a special crackdown and prevention campaign against fare evasion until the 2nd of next month to spread awareness that subway fare evasion is a clear criminal act.
The special crackdown on fare evasion will take place across 275 stations on Lines 1 to 8. Considering passenger flow trends and stations with frequent misuse of concession cards, the company plans to form inspection teams consisting of headquarters staff and security personnel to strongly crack down at 30 stations where concession cards were used more than 80 times during commuting hours in the past 30 days.
The targeted stations include Seoul Station and City Hall Station on Line 1, Sindorim Station, Sillim Station, and Gangnam Station on Line 2, Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5, Gasan Digital Complex Station on Line 7, and Munjeong Station on Line 8.
According to the company, in 2023, the stations with the highest fare evasion enforcement were Guro Digital Complex Station on Line 2, Apgujeong Station on Line 3, Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station on Line 2, Cheolsan Station and Namguro Station on Line 7, and Sadang Station on Line 2. It was analyzed that stations with high boarding and alighting volumes on Lines 2 and 7 also had high rates of fare evasion.
The company is promoting various measures, such as expanding the pilot operation of a voice message saying "Have a happy day" when tagging concession cards from 9 stations to all stations starting this year to prevent misuse of concession cards.
Additionally, to verify user information, photos of users will be attached to route and disability concession cards, and in June last year, the company proposed to the National Assembly to increase the additional fare evasion penalty from 30 times to 50 times the fare.
Baek Ho, President of Seoul Metro, stated, "It is necessary to firmly spread the awareness that subway fare evasion is a clear criminal act that shifts one's responsibility onto others," adding, "We hope that fare evasion will be eradicated through the company's continuous prevention campaigns and special crackdowns, establishing a fair order for subway use."
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