서울 지하철 기본요금이 10월부터 150원 오른다. 교통카드 기준 1250원에서 1400원으로 인상되는 것이다.또 서울 시내버스 기본요금은 앞선 8월부터 1200원에서 1500원으로 ‘300원’ 인상된다.서울시는 이 같은 내용을 담은 ‘대중교통 요금조정안’이 시 물가대책위원회 심의를 통과했다고 12일 밝혔다.서울의 대중교통 요금 인상은 2015년 6월 이후 8년 1개월 만이다.이번 결정으로 지하철 요금은 내년 하반기 150원 한 차례 더 오른다.결과적으로 약 1년 사이 300원이 인상되는 셈이다. Major Cities in South Korea to Increase Transit Fares in the Second Half of 2023 – BNN Breaking Introduction Public transportation fare hikes are expected to take place later this year in major cities across South Korea, including Seoul, Busan, and bnn.network Major Cities in South Korea to Increase Transit Fares in the Second Half of 2023Seoul’s Fare Hike PlanThe Seoul Metropolitan Government has established a special committee on market prices to review the plan for increasing public transportation fares. It is highly likely that bus fares will rise from 1,200 won ($0.92) to 1,500 won next month, while the base fare for the subway is expected to increase from 1,250 won to either 1,400 won or 1,450 won, likely in October. The previous fare hike occurred in 2015 when the base subway and bus fares in the capital were raised by 200 won and 150 won, respectively.Earlier this year, Seoul City attempted to raise subway and bus fares but had to postpone the plan due to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s call for local governments to alleviate the economic burdens faced by the public, given the inflationary pressures and soaring interest rates. However, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon recently indicated during a press conference that a fare hike in the second half of the year is inevitable, pointing to the mounting budget deficit associated with public transportation services.Financial Deficits and the Need for Fare IncreasesSeoul Metro, the city-run subway operator, recorded a financial deficit of 1.2 trillion won last year, while the city’s bus companies incurred a deficit of 660 billion won. These figures, as acknowledged by the city government, are alarmingly high and pose a significant risk if the current fares remain unchanged. The government stated that further delays in implementing comprehensive fare hikes would be impossible.