Subway, venue of generational conflicts

Senior citizens wait to board a subway at Seoul Station in this Dec. 4, 2017 photo. Korea Times file

Subway deficits, free rides for senior citizens causing controversy

By Bahk Eun-ji

The long-standing generational conflict over free subway rides for senior citizens has resurfaced, as a private subway operator has said recently that it is considering abolishing the benefit.

Senior citizens complain that the free ride policy is an important welfare benefit for them, as they are not able to participate fully in the labor market, but younger people complain it increases their burden, as they have to pay taxes to cover this expense.

Early this month, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Shinbundang Railroad announced that they would discuss the issue of free subway rides for those aged 65 and over, such as whether to keep the program, abolish it or make small changes.

Shinbundang Railroad, the company in charge of operating the Shinbundang Line between Gangnam Station in southern Seoul and Gwanggyo Station in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, has been suffering from a decrease in passengers due to the impact of COVID-19. It posted an operating loss of 13.4 billion won ($11.9 million) and a net loss of 50.32 billion won last year.

Although Shinbundang Railroad is a private company, its decision could influence Seoul Metro, the public operator of Seoul's subway lines 1-8 and part of line 9, which have also been suffering from financial difficulties.

Seoul Metro is expected to see a 1.6 trillion won deficit this year, its biggest deficit ever. Last month, the company announced a plan to cut the number of workers by 1,539, or about 10 percent of the total workforce.

Controversy over free subway rides for the elderly has emerged several times during the last decade. In 2010, when then-Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik said, "Giving free subway tickets to the elderly over the age of 65 is excessive welfare," the controversy intensified over whether the subway operators' deficits stemmed from the free rides.

Last year, the transport ministry's suggestion to raise the age requirement from 65 to 70 ― supposedly to cope with the operators' growing deficits amid a growing population of senior citizens in Korea's aging society ― provoked strong opposition from the elderly, as the subway is the only public transportation that they are able to use for free.

They say that a free ride system for the elderly is part of a necessary universal welfare system that exists in part to ensure everyone's freedom of movement.

In addition, the free ride system also enables employment opportunities for the elderly, such as delivery services for which they use the subway, introduced by some district offices in an effort to create jobs for the elderly.

A senior citizen delivers packages via the subway in this Sept. 27, 2012 photo. Korea Time file

But some younger people have been complaining about the free ride program, because if the subway operators claim they need to hike subway fares in order to cover their deficits, the younger generations will be burdened with the extra costs.

"The age of the economically active population is getting higher, as the average lifespan has already increased drastically," said a 39-year-old office worker in Seoul, who wished to be identified only by his surname, Lim.

Lim, who commutes to work using Seoul Metro Line 5 every day, said that the government should come up with other options, such as raising the minimum age or setting specific times for senior citizens to travel for free, rather than abolishing the program completely.

"Charging the elderly during rush hour can be one option, but anyway, I think the free subway ride program for the elderly should be amended in order to cover the deficit and take a load off from the younger generations," he said.

Not every senior citizen is satisfied with the program either.

Park Soo-youl, 68, who lives in Gyeonggi Province, said he believes that the program is another form of discrimination against elderly people who live in the remote areas that subway lines do not reach.

"There is no subway station within walking distance of my neighborhood. For an elderly person like me who doesn't live in downtown Seoul, the free subway ride benefits are not really of any practical help. They only benefit those in central parts of the metropolitan area."

Is offering seats to the elderly Confucian or unfair?

Another source of generational discord taking place regarding the subway is whether to offer seats for the elderly.

Some seats in subway cars are designated for the socially vulnerable, such as senior citizens, the disabled, pregnant women and children. But here, it has been customary for young people to offer their seats to elderly passengers, even if the seats are not designated for them.

Shin Jeong-sub, a 30-year-old office worker in Seoul, said that he has the right not to yield his seat to others because he pays his fees.

"I often give my seat to elderly people, but only by choice ― no one is forcing me to do it. I sometimes get angry at the attitude of some senior citizens that implies that they take for granted the fact that we should give up our seats," Shin said.

Han Hyun-soon, 68, a Songpa District resident who often uses Line 8, said she hardly ever sees young people yield their seats for her, although she has never asked them to do so either.

"I know what the young generation is thinking, but I still believe that yielding seats is part of the Confucian tradition of respecting elders," Han said.

To resolve these conflicts, experts are suggesting some options, such as increasing the minimum age gradually in the long term or designating paid time zones.

"The age of senior citizens who receive the benefit should be raised gradually from 65 to 70 in the first stage, and 75 in the second stage, over a long period of time," Catholic Kwandong University professor Hong Chang-ui said.

"It is also worth considering limiting free rides during rush hour or limiting the number of free rides per month."