"Student Carpooling Ban, Imprisonment or 20 Million KRW Fine for Violations"… Controversy Over Chungju City Official Letter

Interpretation of Official Letter as Directed at Nearby Merchants and Taxi Drivers
"Excessive Restriction on Students' Mobility Rights" Faces Continuous Criticism

In Chungju, Chungbuk Province, controversy is spreading after the city sent an official letter requesting a ban on carpooling among students of the Central Police Academy.

'Request for Promotion to Prohibit Paid Transportation of Private Cars (Carpool)' Official Letter from Chungju City. [Photo by Online Community]

On the 18th, a post titled "Current Status of Chungju City" was uploaded on the online workplace community 'Blind.' The author, Mr. A, claimed that Chungju recently sent an official letter requesting a ban on carpooling by students of the Central Police Academy, a new police training institution.

The photo of the official letter disclosed by Mr. A included a statement saying, "There have been reports that students are using private cars for paid transportation (carpooling)," along with a warning that this could violate the 'Passenger Transport Service Act.' It also stated, "Due to the charter buses operated by the Police Academy, about 40 taxi drivers in Chungju are complaining of livelihood difficulties. Please promote policies that allow mutual coexistence."

The post also included a photo of a banner. The banner, presumed to have been put up by local merchants, read, "Dear Principal, the restaurants around the school are struggling. Please help prevent students from using private cars when going out. Please open a path for mutual coexistence."

It is interpreted that Chungju sent such an official letter to ban carpooling out of consideration for nearby taxi drivers and local merchants.

A banner presumed to have been hung by local merchants. It contains a request to prohibit students from using their own cars.
[Photo source=Online community archive]

In response, most netizens criticized the local government for excessively restricting students' right to mobility out of consideration for local residents. They expressed reactions such as "Why don't they just ask for money?", "This reminds me of a past incident involving merchants near a military base in a certain region," "This will only make them less willing to come," "What does coexistence mean to them?", and "The epitome of selfishness."

Meanwhile, some argued that since carpooling for paid transportation purposes is illegal under current law, it is natural for the police organization to ban carpooling.

The Central Police Academy is an educational institution under the National Police Agency. According to the Central Police Academy's 'Outing, Overnight Stay, and Leave' regulations, trainees are allowed to go out and stay overnight after the second week of admission. However, due to the lack of suitable transportation options during outings and overnight stays, it is known that a considerable number of students use carpooling.