The South Korean government will include President Moon Jae-in’s campaign promise to subsidize cab fares for residents in remote mountainous regions in its budget plan for next year.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in briefing to the planning and advisory committee in charge of mapping out public policy of the new administration for the next five years, said it would make the budgetary proposal to have local governments subsidize cab rides transporting people living in remote areas to bus stations or towns.

The so-called `100-won or dime taxi` allows residents in rural and secluded areas to use taxi for 100 won, while the state subsidizes the rest of the fare. The subsidy plan has been hugely popular in South Jeolla Province after it was introduced by its governor Lee Nak-yon, who was named by Moon as his first prime minister.

During his campaign, Moon pledged to expand the service across the nation. The Ministry of Strategy and Finance is likely to allocate the budget needed for the service next year after concluding that the cost won’t likely be a huge burden on the public finance. The government plans to select some areas to adopt the service on a trial basis and gradually expand it nationally.

By Kim Se-woong

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]