Yeongyang Expands Township Bus Services to Better Connect Daily Living Zones

New Route via Ipam and Seokbo Introduced
Expected to Improve Both Mobility Rights and Local Consumption

Yeongyang-gun has expanded the operation of the rural bus route between Yeongyang, Ipam, and Seokbo to boost local consumption following the introduction of the Rural Basic Income program and to improve transportation convenience for residents, thereby strengthening everyday, community-centered transport welfare.

Residents are boarding the Yeongyang Ipam Seokbo rural bus, which Yeongyang-gun operates twice.

The county announced that, in accordance with an improvement order under Article 23 of the Passenger Transport Service Act, it has adjusted the existing Route 173 operation system by supplementing it and increasing the number of trips by two. The increased service has been in effect since February 23, 2026.

The existing Route 173 between Yeongyang and Seokbo had been operating only twice a day (09:20 and 14:30), which had drawn criticism for failing to sufficiently meet the daily travel needs of residents in township areas. In response, the county created a new Route 173-1, adding two more trips at 12:50 and 15:55, and adjusted the route to pass through the section between Ipam Bangjeon (Anmaeul) and Seokbo, thereby improving transportation accessibility.

This increase in the number of trips is expected to strengthen the response to everyday travel needs such as grocery shopping, hospital visits, and the use of financial and administrative institutions, while also providing a stable foundation to support the expansion of local consumption activities following the payment of the Rural Basic Income.

In particular, it is being evaluated as highly significant in terms of guaranteeing the right to mobility and improving living conditions in township-level areas where dependence on public transportation is high. If mobility within residents' daily living areas improves, it is also expected to have a positive impact on increased use of local commercial districts and the formation of a virtuous cycle of consumption.

An official from Yeongyang-gun said, "This increase in the number of trips is more than a simple expansion of service frequency; it is a measure to guarantee the right to mobility for township residents and to enhance everyday convenience," adding, "We will continue to reflect usage patterns and residents' opinions, flexibly adjust routes and timetables, and gradually improve the quality of rural transportation services."