▲ Vacationers heading to islands by an Incheon ferry
A city policy that has supported Incheon citizens in traveling to and from Incheon's islands for the cost of a city bus fare will effectively be suspended starting next year.
The Incheon Metropolitan Government announced today (Nov. 3) that it plans to require citizens using coastal ferries to pay their own fuel surcharges and terminal usage fees starting in January next year.
While the regular one-way fare for Incheon citizens will remain at 1,500 won, the actual burden on passengers will increase by up to 10 times once fuel surcharges and terminal usage fees are added.
For instance, passengers on the Incheon-Baengnyeongdo ferry, who currently pay a regular fare of 1,500 won, will have to pay a total of 15,600 won next year, which includes the 1,500 won regular fare, a 12,600 won fuel surcharge, and a 1,500 won terminal usage fee.
Current fuel surcharges by route are 12,600 won for Incheon-Baengnyeong, 11,700 won for Baengnyeong-Incheon, 9,700 won for Incheon-Yeonpyeong, 3,400 won for Incheon-Deokjeok, and 3,000 won for Incheon-Ijak.
Additionally, the program that subsidized 70 percent of the regular ferry fare for residents of other cities and provinces will see its support rate reduced to 50 percent starting next year.
Regarding this decision, the city cited factors such as the increasing financial burden on the city budget due to rising numbers of coastal ferry users and expanded eligibility, as well as emerging issues regarding the infringement on the residential environment of island residents.
Previously, Incheon implemented the Incheon I-Sea Pass policy in January of last year during the term of former Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, lowering the coastal ferry fare for citizens to 1,500 won.
Aimed at boosting island tourism and the local economy, the policy was selected as the number one preferred city policy in a survey of about 12,000 citizens held in the same year.
Mayor Park Chan-dae, who took office in July of this year, has already suspended the ferry fare support project for residents of other cities and provinces since late July due to the depletion of this year's budget.
An Incheon city official stated, "Analysis shows that having passengers cover their own ferry fuel surcharges and terminal usage fees will save approximately 2.5 billion won in city budget annually," adding, "We plan to continuously request increased national government subsidies for island residents' ferry fares to reduce the burden on local finances."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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