Gyeongju City to Offer Free City Bus Rides for Residents Aged 70 and Above, Benefiting 45,000 Seniors

On May 13, Gyeongju City announced that it will officially implement a free city bus ride program for senior citizens aged 70 and above, starting from July 1.

Once the program begins, approximately 45,000 residents of Gyeongju who are aged 70 or older and registered in the city will be able to use a dedicated transportation card to ride city buses free of charge. This includes buses operating not only within Gyeongju but also in adjacent areas such as Pohang and Yeongdeok.

From July 1st, Gyeongju City will not charge bus fares to senior citizens aged 70 and above.

Prior to the implementation of the program, on April 14, Gyeongju City completed preparations by providing training on the issuance and management of transportation cards to staff at township and neighborhood administrative welfare centers.

The transportation cards can be issued starting from June 11 at the administrative welfare center in each resident's area. To prevent initial congestion, a "five-day rotation system based on the last digit of the birth year" will be applied during the first week. Eligibility by day is as follows: Monday for those with 1 or 6, Tuesday for 2 or 7, Wednesday for 3 or 8, Thursday for 4 or 9, and Friday for 5 or 0 as the last digit of their birth year.

Applicants must present their personal identification to receive a card, and proxy applications are not allowed. Additionally, the transportation card is valid only for those whose registered address is in Gyeongju City, and it will be automatically deactivated if the holder moves to another region.

If unauthorized use by someone other than the cardholder is detected, card usage may be restricted for up to one year.

Joo Nakyoung, Mayor of Gyeongju, stated, "We expect that this free city bus program will not only improve transportation accessibility but also greatly enhance the convenience of daily travel for our senior citizens. We will continue to provide thorough support and monitoring to ensure there are no inconveniences during the issuance and use of the cards."

Meanwhile, to ensure the smooth implementation of the program, Gyeongju City plans to actively promote related information through the city hall website and administrative welfare centers, as well as distribute informational materials and guidance documents in formats that are easy for senior citizens to understand.