By Lee Hyo-sik
On top of surging gasoline prices, motorists here also have to worry about rising tolls on privately-constructed expressways.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritimes Affairs said that operators of the Incheon Airport Expressway and eight other privately-built highways across the country will increase charges by up to 400 won (35 cents) for those who drive passenger vehicles, beginning Nov. 28.
The latest fee hike comes several weeks after Korea Expressway Corp., the state-run highway operator, raised tolls on publicly-built expressways by an average of 2.9 percent.
A driver of a passenger car will have to pay 7,700 won to use Incheon Airport Expressway, up from the current 7,500 won. Those who enter the northern section of the Seoul Outer Circle Expressway, which was built by private investors, will be charged with 4,500 won, up from the current 4,300 won.
Motorists who travel between Chuncheon, Gangwon Province and Seoul on the Seoul-Chuncheon Expressway, will have to pay 6,300 won, up from 5,900 won. The charges on the Daegu-Busan Expressway will also go up by 400 won to 9,700 won.
A ministry official said tolls on privately-built highways have been frozen at the current levels for several years in line with government’s anti-inflation drive.
“But to reflect rises in consumer prices and reduce the size of state subsidies to expressway operators, we decided to increase the charges.”