Inchon Airport cuts transportation fares

The government and the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) decided in a meeting Wednesday to temporarily lower bus fares and expressway tolls by the end of this year.

At the meeting, attended by representatives of the Construction and Transportation Ministry, Seoul City government and MDP, officials decided to lower one-way fares for deluxe and limousine buses from Seoul to Inchon Airport from the present 18,000 won and 10,000 won, respectively to 10,000 won and 5,500 won.

They also agreed to give an additional 30 to 50 percent discount to full-time employees at the airport. A cut was also made in bus tolls on the Inchon Airport Highway from the present 10,400 won to 6,600 won. The current expressway toll of 6,100 won for taxis will remain intact. Buses or taxis passing the tollgate without passengers on board will be exempted from the toll. The government and ruling party drew criticism for an earlier decision to compensate for losses that private businesses suffer from the measure, estimated at 7.4 billion won.

Yoon Jong-Koo jkmas@donga.com