Increase in Public Charges is the Highest in Four Years

The increase in public charges for the first half of this year is the highest in four years.

Meanwhile, the increase in housing rent, including lease and monthly rent, recorded the lowest in five years.

The National Statistical Office said on July 11 that the public charges for the first half of 2005 rose 3.8 percent, the highest increase since the first half of 2001, which saw a 9.2 percent rise.

The increase in the public service charges was 0.9 percent in 2002, 2.1 percent in 2003, and 1.7 percent in 2004.

This increase is primarily attributable to the local government bodies’ decision to increase the fare for bus and subway service this year. The subway fare rose 26.9 percent on average nationwide, the bus fare by 17.2 percent, the fare for the cross-city bus by 12.0 percent, and the fare for the water supply and drainage service by 4.0 percent.

The increase in the public charges is expected to continue since the local government bodies are planning to adjust the fares for taxis and the water supply and drainage service again in the second half of the year.

Breaking it down by major cities, the increase in the charges is 5.3 percent in Seongnam, 5.1 percent in Suwon, 5.0 percent in Anyang, and 4.8 percent in Uijeongbu and Goyang respectively, indicating that Gyeonggi Province showed the largest increase.

Meanwhile, the increase in housing rent for the first half of this year remains unchanged in comparison with the same period of the previous year. This figure is the lowest since -1.9 percent for the first half of 2000.

The increase in the housing rent for the first half of the year recorded 3.1 percent in 2001, 5.9 percent in 2002, 4.1 percent in 2003, and 2.2 percent in 2004, which now shows stability.

Chi-Young Shin higgledy@donga.com