Oh Se-hoon: “On designating buses an essential public service, the government’s position is a brick wall”

[Financial News] Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon reaffirmed his long-standing position that city buses should be designated an essential public service. He also said that improving operational efficiency was unavoidable to reduce chronic deficits amid labor-management conflict over workforce cuts at Seoul Metro.
Speaking at a press conference at Seoul City Hall on the 7th, marking 100 days since his inauguration for the ninth popularly elected term, Mayor Oh said, “The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s position remains unchanged: given that any inconvenience caused by a city bus strike falls entirely on residents, the government should take a forward-looking approach to considering designation as an essential public service.”
Mayor Oh cited the possibility that city buses could have a greater impact than subways on people who are transportation-disadvantaged as a reason they should be designated an essential public service.
He said, “Although the subway is also a form of public transportation, it is designated as an essential public service, so even when a strike is announced, it can considerably reduce inconvenience for residents. Buses, by contrast, run to all the places the subway does not reach, so they serve far more areas used by people who are transportation-disadvantaged.” He continued, “Despite this reality, the government is not considering designating buses an essential public service at all,” adding, “The government’s position feels almost like a brick wall.”
Regarding labor-management conflict over city buses, he raised the possibility of labor costs increasing following the Supreme Court’s ruling on ordinary wages.
Mayor Oh said, “The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on ordinary wages once again foreshadows an increase of at least 10 percentage points, so situations in which strikes are announced will naturally become more frequent. By comparison, the legal and institutional measures to address inconvenience for residents are very inadequate.”
On the issue of workforce cuts at Seoul Metro, he emphasized the need to improve management efficiency.
Mayor Oh explained, “Seoul Metro is running a huge deficit. Public transportation fares in Seoul are set far too low by international standards, and the deficit is the consequence of residents using public transportation at low fares.”
At the same time, he left open the possibility of reaching an agreement with the union.
Mayor Oh added, “From the union’s perspective, even reducing the workforce by one person would be a burden, but some form of compromise must be sought. It is Seoul Metro’s lot to keep striving to improve management efficiency.”

[email protected] Lee Seol-young Reporter