Mokpo City Launches Public Buses... First Citywide Route Public Operation in Korea

Direct Management and Outsourcing: A Structure of Mutual Complementation and Competition

Mokpo City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Park Hongryul), officially launched its new public bus system by holding the "Mokpo City Public Bus Launching Ceremony" at the Samhak Public Bus Depot on the 6th, with 150 citizens and others in attendance.

According to the city on the 7th, the launching ceremony included a report on the progress of the public bus introduction, a commemorative speech by Mayor Park Hongryul, a congratulatory address by City Council Chairperson Cho Seongo, a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the launch, and an event to board the eco-friendly low-floor electric buses.

On the 6th, a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating the launch of Mokpo City public buses was held at Samhak Bus Garage. Photo by Mokpo City

Mokpo City’s city buses have long been a major issue for the city to resolve, as they caused significant inconvenience to citizens due to the bus company’s suspension of operations in 2021, a strike by transport workers in 2022, and service interruptions in 2023 due to unpaid fuel costs.

After resuming city bus operations in February 2023, the city went through a public consensus process to develop fundamental improvement measures, established a Mokpo-style public transportation system plan, and, after a period of preparation, introduced the public bus system in January of this year.

The city has nationalized city bus route rights previously monopolized by the private sector, carried out a comprehensive route system reform to improve efficiency, and established an operational system where direct management and consignment complement and compete with each other. This has built a public bus system that structurally prevents the complete suspension of city bus operations, the city’s only public transportation means, and is the first case of its kind in the country.

Mayor Park Hongryul stated, "The public bus system based on the Mokpo-style public transportation system, created together with citizens, is the first in the nation and is a leading policy attracting attention from many local governments across the country. We will create a more friendly, safer, and more convenient public bus service to make it an even more beloved means of public transportation."

Meanwhile, with the launch of the public bus system, the city has introduced and started operating eco-friendly low-floor electric buses and buses equipped with LED information boards. Going forward, the city plans to provide even better public bus services through the advancement of the Bus Information System (BIS), expansion of smart bus stops, and the establishment of public bus depots.