Paju School Shuttle Bus 'Paprika' to Run Beyond Unjeong into Northern Areas

Paprika Enjoyed by Students, Efforts of Paju City and Paju Office of Education Bear Fruit
Connecting Unjeong, Geumchon-dong, Munsan-eup, and Paju-eup to Improve Northern Commuting Environment
Recruiting Limited License Operators for Paprika to Take Charge of Northern Paju Commuting

The operation of 'Paprika,' which began as a pilot service in Unjeong New Town on March 4, will be expanded to northern Paju areas such as Geumchon and Munsan.

“Paprika,” a Paju-type student-exclusive circular shuttle bus created through the cooperation of Paju City, Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, and Gyeonggi Paju Office of Education, will operate from December this year in Geumchon-dong, Munsan-eup, and Paju-eup.

According to Paju City on the 19th, the city was designated as a leading area for educational development special zones, laying the foundation for customized educational development tailored to the region’s characteristics. In line with this, it has presented “Paprika for all students” as a new direction for Paju-type education and transportation policies.

Accordingly, Paju City and the Gyeonggi Paju Office of Education began a pilot operation of Paprika in Woonjeong New Town on March 4 and have continued consultations with related organizations such as the Gyeonggi Provincial Council and Paju City Council to expand to northern Paju areas including Geumchon and Munsan.

Based on a demand survey conducted in March, three G (G) routes connecting Woonjeong and Geumchon, and two M (M) routes connecting Geumchon-dong, Paju-eup, and Munsan-eup have been organized. A total of seven Paprika buses will be deployed to minimize students’ commuting burdens and allow them to focus on learning in a comfortable educational environment.

The transportation operator responsible for running Paprika (Geumchon, Munsan) will be recruited from the 13th to the 25th of this month. All administrative procedures will be completed by October, followed by a one-month pilot operation in December to address any improvements. The official operation is planned to start in March next year, coinciding with the new school semester.

Choi Eun-mi, Superintendent of the Gyeonggi Paju Office of Education, said, “Creating a safe and convenient commuting environment for students is one of our top priorities,” adding, “We will continue to strive to improve the inconvenient transportation conditions for students in the region.”

Kim Kyung-il, Mayor of Paju City, stated, “Paprika will be a cornerstone in making Paju a city ideal for raising children and an educational city that dreams of the future,” and added, “We will do our best until the moment Paprika begins operating in northern Paju, aiming to create a safe and convenient commuting environment for students.”

Meanwhile, since its opening on March 4, Paprika (Woonjeong) has been used by 79,240 people over one semester, establishing itself as a convenient transportation means for many students’ commutes to and from school.