Gwangju Supports Children's Transportation Costs... Education Office Also Joins Effort

Councilor Park Mijeong's Proposed Ordinance Passed in Plenary Session
Up to 40% by 2030... "Realizing Universal Transportation Welfare"

Park Mi-jung, Gwangju City Council member.

The Gwangju Metropolitan City has established a basis for the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education to also provide budget support for the public transportation fare support project for children and adolescents that the city is promoting.

The "Gwangju Metropolitan City Children and Adolescents Transportation Support Ordinance Amendment," spearheaded by Park Mijeong, a member of the Gwangju City Council (Democratic Party, Dong-gu 2), passed the city council plenary session on the 27th.

In May, the city announced it will implement the "Gwangju G-Pass" project starting January next year, which adds additional discounts to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's nationwide public transportation fare support program called K-Pass. Children will be able to use public transportation free of charge, and adolescents at half price, but securing the additional budget of 6.1 billion KRW has been a hurdle.

At the Gwangju Education Administration Council meeting on the 7th, considering these points, the Office of Education agreed to sequentially support up to 40% of the 6.1 billion KRW budget by 2030, starting with 25% next year.

Through this ordinance amendment, it is expected to realize universal transportation welfare for children and adolescents and reduce the financial burden on parents in this era of high inflation.

Councilor Park said, "The support for public transportation fares for children and adolescents is the result of positive responses from Mayor Kang Gijeong and Superintendent Lee Jeongseon during last year's city administration questions regarding free public transportation fares for children and adolescents," adding, "We will continue to strive to secure youth mobility rights and revitalize public transportation."

Meanwhile, Councilor Park previously spearheaded the "Gwangju Metropolitan City Children and Adolescents Transportation Support Ordinance" in 2022, which enables free transportation fare support for children and adolescents.