Illegal Subway Rides... Busan Transportation Corporation to Report Malicious and Habitual Offenders to Police

Targeting Malicious Fare Evaders with 65 or More Offenses

Additional Fare Up to 30 Times Imposed, 4,774 Cases Last Year

Busan Transportation Corporation (President Lee Byungjin) has taken a strong stance against fare evasion in the urban railway system.

The corporation announced on the 11th that, as part of its firm commitment to address fare evasion, it has reported four habitual offenders to the police for violations of the Minor Offenses Act, illegal use of facilities under the Criminal Act, and computer fraud.

This report targets malicious fare evaders who used other people's discounted tickets or ignored station staff instructions and passed through gates without authorization.

The total number of fare evasion incidents involving these individuals is 101, and the unpaid additional fare amounts to 4 million KRW. Among them, Mr. A was caught using someone else's welfare transportation card without permission, and after being apprehended, was again caught using another person's multi-child transportation card without authorization.

To take strict action against malicious fare evaders, the corporation filed complaints with the relevant police stations based on card usage records and additional fare payment notices, in accordance with the Railroad Business Act.

Every year, the corporation conducts its own fare evasion prevention campaigns as well as joint campaigns with related organizations such as the police and Korea Railroad Corporation to establish order in urban railway usage. In particular, the third week of June is designated as a focused enforcement period against fare evasion, during which special crackdowns are carried out. The corporation plans to continue taking strong measures against fare evasion in the future.

Urban railway passengers must use valid tickets in accordance with Article 10 of the Railroad Business Act and related laws. If caught fare evading, they must pay the fare for the traveled section plus 30 times that amount as a penalty. In 2023, the corporation detected 4,774 cases of fare evasion and collected 144 million KRW in additional fares. Of these, more than half (69.2%) involved unauthorized entry without a ticket, while 30.8% involved the improper use of discounted or preferential tickets by those not eligible.

The corporation is pursuing criminal charges against fare evaders under Article 3, Paragraph 1, Item 39 of the Minor Offenses Act (fare evasion and non-payment for services), Article 347-2 of the Criminal Act (computer fraud), and Article 348-2 (illegal use of facilities).

Article 347-2 of the Criminal Act (computer fraud) punishes acts of entering false information or unauthorized commands into computers or other information processing devices, or inputting or altering information without authorization to gain financial benefit. Passing through gates using another person's welfare transportation card or similar unauthorized cards for personal gain falls under this provision.

If a passenger loses their ticket or realizes they are using the wrong ticket while using the urban railway, they can report it to station staff via the customer information device near the gates and purchase a valid ticket without being charged an additional fare. The corporation also operates several systems: the '5-Minute Re-entry' system allows passengers to re-enter within 5 minutes if they mistakenly enter through the wrong gate; the 'Passenger Fare Refund System' refunds fares if a passenger exits within 10 minutes after entering the platform; and the 'Duplicate Entry Refund' system refunds fares within a week if a transportation card is tapped multiple times by mistake.

Lee Byungjin, President of Busan Transportation Corporation, stated, "With this report, we aim to widely inform the public that using a valid ticket is the first step to proper urban railway use," and added, "Along with our ongoing fare evasion prevention campaigns, we will continue to respond firmly to habitual fare evaders to relieve the sense of loss felt by customers who use valid tickets."

Busan Transportation Corporation will take strong measures against habitual fare evasion.