SEOUL, April 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s presidential office said on Friday it will provide incentives for citizens who use public transportation during off-peak hours, part of a strategy to manage a surge in demand and energy supply uncertainties triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.
The measure aims to encourage a voluntary shift in commuting patterns as rising oil prices drive more people toward public transit, Blue House spokesperson Jun Eun-su said during a briefing.
"With the sharp rise in oil prices, we are seeing a rapid increase in public transportation users," Jun said. "To disperse demand during peak commuting hours, an emergency meeting was held yesterday, chaired by Ha Joon-kyung, Senior Secretary for Economic Growth."
As part of the initiative, the public sector will lead the way by implementing staggered commuting hours. The government plans to establish these flexible working arrangements as a model within public institutions before exploring ways to expand the practice to the private sector.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport will design a "smart system" to develop tailored transportation policies for various crisis scenarios.
"We will eliminate barriers between government departments and provide a total response to ensure citizen safety," Jun emphasized. "Our priority is to ensure all citizens can commute safely while easing the burden of transportation costs."
The presidential office also clarified that it is not considering any restrictions on the existing policy of free public transport for the elderly to reduce congestion.
The clarification follows a statement the previous day which suggested that measures for elderly passengers might be included in the congestion relief plan. A Blue House official confirmed on Friday that such options are not being evaluated.
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