CRP 3840: GReen Cities Fall 2009 PRoFessoR sChmidt Final PRojeCt

Seoul Bus System Reform Project

by daniel Kim saRa GRaham
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the analysis oF the City-wide ReFoRmation PRoCeduRe oF seoul PubliC tRansPoRtation

Introduction

F

Capital of Republic of Korea
With both its population and economy growing rapidly, Seoul needed a way to deal with increasing social and economic demands. The resulting transportation revolution began in 2004.

Seoul

aced with a growing population of over 22 million residents in the Greater Seoul metropolitan area, increased usage of personal vehicles, and elevated levels of air pollution, Seoul finally decided to introduce a wide range of reforms to its public transport system. In July 2004, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a new, revolutionized public bus system in order to revitalize the deteriorated public transportation service that had long been losing its popularity with the city’s citizens. The new system was comprised of coordinated bus and metro services, integrated fare structure, and shorter , more time-saving bus routes. In this paper, the city-wide reformation project is described in four main aspects: 1) The external factors that contributed to the need to reform the contemporary bus

system, 2) The difficulties faced during the planning process, 3) The major outcome and successful attributes of the project, and 4) Possible implications for other mega-cities.

Background
1. Population/GDP Growth
Since the end of WWII, the capital city of Korea, Seoul, has been one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The metropolitan area’s population has effectively quadrupled to 22 million people between the years of 1960 and 2000 (Korea National Statistical Office 2005), making it home to not only one of the largest populations in the world, but also one of the fastest growing economies as well. According to Pucher at el., the per-capita income in South Korea has -2-

Traffic War
Seoul has