Subway congestion could fall by up to 9.5% with limited free rides for older adults: Study
Published: 01 Apr. 2026, 15:12
Updated: 01 Apr. 2026, 18:24
![Commuters crowd a subway station in Seoul on March 17. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/54b336bf-45b3-465f-9f7b-1ddf72551eed.jpg)
Commuters crowd a subway station in Seoul on March 17. [YONHAP]
A government study found that limiting free subway rides for adults aged 65 and older during rush hours could reduce congestion by up to 9.5 percent, with President Lee Jae Myung also raising the issue and calling for a review of the decades-old policy.
Adjusting access for older adults between 8 and 9 a.m. and 6 and 7 p.m. could reduce congestion by about 7.7 percent to 9.5 percent, according to a study the JoongAng Ilbo acquired on Tuesday from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
In Korea, people aged 65 and older can ride the subway for free under a government welfare program.
The Land Ministry submitted the study titled “Study on Measures to Improve the Urban Railway Public Service Obligation” (translated) to the National Assembly during a parliamentary audit last year, outlining the potential impact of restricting free rides during peak commuting hours and proposing broader reforms such as revising discount rates, adjusting the age threshold and setting usage limits.
The ministry completed the report in May 2023 after securing a budget in 2021 at the request of the National Assembly. The findings of the report indicate that practical reform measures had already been identified years earlier, even as the issue remained largely unaddressed.
“We shared the report with relevant ministries after completing it,” a Land Ministry official said. “We continue to review the issue, but it is not easy to reach meaningful conclusions because multiple ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Seoul Metro, are involved.”
![Commuters and passengers board a subway train at Gwanghwamun Station on Line No. 5 in central Seoul on March 21. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/1c186027-809f-460e-97b8-f292ef5a66cb.jpg)
Commuters and passengers board a subway train at Gwanghwamun Station on Line No. 5 in central Seoul on March 21. [YONHAP]
President Lee raised the issue during a Cabinet meeting on March 24 while discussing measures related to an energy crisis in the Middle East.
“Would it make sense to limit free use by older adults for one or two hours during peak commuting times?” Lee said. “Let’s study ways to spread out passengers during those times."
The free subway ride system for older adults began in 1984 under former President Chun Doo Hwan and is based on Article 26 of the Welfare of Senior Citizens Act.
Calls for reform have continued as Korea’s population ages and financial pressure on railway operators grows.
The share of people aged 65 and older reached about 21.2 percent as of 2025, while losses from free rides across operators nationwide totaled 777.9 billion won ($515 million) last year.
Congestion during commuting hours remains a major concern. As of the fourth quarter of last year, congestion on Seoul Subway Line No. 2 exceeded 150 percent, while Line No. 8 approached 160 percent. A level of 100 percent indicates full capacity, while levels above 150 percent are considered severely overcrowded.
Despite these conditions, strong opposition from senior groups and political caution over older voters have slowed progress.
![A commuters taps a transit card at a ticket gate in a Seoul subway station on March 8. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/01/1f3666c8-c5a7-4166-b59e-cfaf5515e582.jpg)
A commuters taps a transit card at a ticket gate in a Seoul subway station on March 8. [NEWS1]
“If congestion improves by about 10 percent, during rush hours on the Shinbundang Line, commuters who previously had to wait for five fully packed trains could board after two or three,” said Choi Jin-seok, director of the Railroad Economy Research Institute. “The effect would be quite significant. The free ride system for older adults remained neglected for a long time due to political considerations, including older voters.
“Urban railway operators were on the verge of bankruptcy, but the president’s remarks could help accelerate discussions on reforming the system.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KWAK JOO-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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