1 in 12 Seoul rush-hour subway passengers are seniors riding free
Commuters crowd a subway platform in Seoul, March 17. Yonhap
Lee weighs rush-hour limits on free subway rides for seniors
One in every 12 passengers riding the Seoul subway during rush hours is a senior entitled to free rides, Seoul Metro data revealed on Wednesday.
The statistics highlight a mounting structural deficit for the urban transit system and the figure comes as President Lee Jae Myung ordered a review of rush-hour restrictions for the decades-old policy.
Seoul Metro data showed that more than 85 million riders aged 65 or older boarded subway Lines 1 to 8 free of charge during rush hours last year. This figure represents 8.3 percent of around 1 billion rush-hour passengers recorded over the same period.
A detailed breakdown of rush hours showed the highest proportion of senior passengers rode between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., accounting for 9.7 percent of all riders during that hour. This was followed by 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 8.5 percent, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 7.9 percent, and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 7.7 percent.
A chart generated by artificial intelligence illustrates the proportion of seniors aged over 65 using free subway rides during rush hours in 2025. Seniors account for 85,192,978 free subway rides during rush hours, representing 8.3 percent of 1.03 billion total passengers recorded last year.
Across the full day, the highest concentration of senior riders occurred before 6 a.m., making up 31.1 percent of all passengers during that early window. The second-highest period fell between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. at 25.8 percent, while the lowest proportion was recorded after midnight at just 2.4 percent.
Korea's rapidly aging population has put growing financial pressure on subway operators. Last year, Seoul Metro reported a 383.2 billion won ($254.4 million) loss directly attributed to free subway rides for seniors on Lines 1 to 8. The deficit surged by approximately 170 billion won compared to the 216.1 billion won recorded five years ago.
Lee brought up the issue Monday during a Cabinet meeting, instructing the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to review measures to spread out ridership.
"How about limiting the free use for just one or two hours during peak commuting times?" Lee asked.
He acknowledged the difficulty of distinguishing commuting seniors from the others but urged officials to find a solution.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
"There are also those commuting among the seniors, so it won't be easy to distinguish, but let's try researching restricting those who are traveling for leisure," Lee said.
Park Hong-keun, the ministerial nominee for the Ministry of Planning and Budget, proposed raising the eligibility age during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly's Finance, Economy and Planning Committee on Sunday.
"The issue of raising the legal age of seniors, support from the central government, internal cost-cutting measures by local governments, and affordability must be negotiated as a part of a comprehensive reform package," Park said.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.