Incheon City lowered coastal passenger ferry fares to the level of city bus fares, resulting in an increase in tourists. However, as island residents struggled to secure ferry tickets, the local council enacted an ordinance to address the issue.
On September 3, the Ongjin County Council held the 251st extraordinary session and passed, with amendments, the 'Ongjin County Ordinance on Securing Priority Boarding Rights for Residents of the Five West Sea Islands,' which was sponsored by Assemblyman Lee Uimyeong of the Democratic Party of Korea (Baengnyeong and Daecheong-myeon).
This ordinance stipulates that ferry operators must secure boarding passes exclusively for residents of the five West Sea islands-Baengnyeongdo, Daecheongdo, Socheongdo, Yeonpyeongdo, and Soyeonpyeongdo-so that they can travel to and from the mainland smoothly.
According to the ordinance, ferry operators are required to secure, as on-site ticket allocations, the average number of priority boarding passes needed for residents each day, based on usage data from the past three years. Any unsold tickets before departure must be covered jointly by Ongjin County and the ferry operator.
An official from Ongjin County stated, "Currently, Yeonpyeongdo residents do not face significant difficulties in obtaining ferry tickets, so we plan to prioritize the Baengnyeongdo route for review. Since there are many matters to coordinate with related agencies, such as establishing a dedicated seat reservation system, it is difficult to determine when the project will be implemented."
With the introduction of the 'Incheon i Sea Pass' this year, Incheon citizens can use 14 coastal ferry routes for a one-way fare of 1,500 won. Incheon City
On the Incheon-Baengnyeongdo route, the ferry operator secures 60 seats exclusively for island residents on each trip and sells them on-site, yet residents continue to report difficulties in obtaining tickets.
Incheon City became the first in the nation to implement the 'Incheon I Bada Pass' this year, lowering coastal passenger ferry fares to 3,000 won round-trip (1,500 won one-way).
This initiative aims to reduce the burden of relatively expensive maritime transportation compared to land-based public transit, promote the use of ferries as public transportation, and revitalize the economies of island regions.
Previously, only residents of islands in Ganghwa County and Ongjin County could ride ferries at city bus fares, but now all Incheon citizens enjoy the same benefit. Additionally, the subsidy rate for regular fares for residents of other cities and provinces has been increased from 50% to 70%.
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