Youth aged between 13 and 18 can now benefit from a youth discount on the Climate Companion Card. Previously, only young adults aged 19 to 39 were eligible for this benefit, but due to concerns about the high transportation costs for students commuting to school and academies, the discount has been extended.
The city of Seoul has announced the addition of ten new regulatory reforms to reduce inconvenience for citizens, bringing the total number of improvements made this year to 93.
The latest improvements include measures to alleviate the transportation costs for youth, simplify the registration process for disabled children’s transportation cards, prevent career interruptions for counselors, remove age restrictions for senior employment opportunities, and expand lifelong learning opportunities—issues that directly impact citizens’ daily lives.
Additionally, the age limit for participating in Seoul’s citizen health management platform ‘Wrist Doctor 9988′ has been lowered from 19 to 18, encouraging the formation of healthy habits from adolescence.
Other initiatives include extending the free transfer time for village buses from one hour to two hours, expected to reduce citizens’ annual burden by approximately 18 million won.
The simplification of the counselor appointment process is also included. Outstanding counselors who had stopped working due to childbirth or childcare can now rejoin without a document review, only requiring an interview, which is expected to reduce career interruptions for female counselors.
The age limit for the ‘Value Co-op Employment Project,’ targeted at mid-aged individuals, will be abolished. The previous limit of 67 years old will be removed, enabling healthy and capable senior citizens to participate more broadly in social activities.
Also, the procedure for discount registration for disabled children’s transportation cards, which previously required issuance and then separate registration at a community center, will be improved to allow automatic registration upon issuance.
To improve visitor convenience at Seoul Medical Center, kiosks for identity verification and a high-speed pass system for medical fees will be introduced. Additionally, the reservation process at DDP will be simplified through an online information system.
Emergency childcare services for elementary students will be significantly expanded, from the current 29 available centers to 127 by the end of the year, as selection criteria for service provision are relaxed.
Seoul city stated, “We will continue to strive for regulatory improvements that enhance the quality of life for citizens, based on citizen suggestions and public servant discoveries.”