Starting June 2, residents of Jung-gu, Seoul, will be able to pass through the Namsan Tunnel No. 1 and No. 3 on weekdays with a 50% discount on the congestion toll, paying only 1,000 won.
The Seoul city government announced on the 19th that it had promulgated a local government ordinance amendment that includes this content regarding the congestion toll collection.
The Namsan congestion toll is a system aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in the city center. Currently, a fee of 2,000 won is charged for cars passing towards the city center. Residents near the Namsan Tunnel have raised concerns that they should not have to pay a toll every time on their way home.
To alleviate the inconvenience of Jung-gu residents and ensure essential passage as a local road, the city has established a provision in the ordinance allowing a 50% reduction in the congestion toll for privately owned cars of residents in Jung-gu. This was submitted to the 330th extraordinary session of the Seoul City Council and passed as originally proposed.
The congestion toll reduction for the Namsan Tunnel applies to privately owned cars registered with a principal address of 'Seoul, Jung-gu.' Jung-gu residents can pay only 1,000 won on-site without a separate application process.
The principal address (garage) of privately owned cars is the owner's registered residence. When making a move-in report, the principal address is automatically changed to the new address. However, it takes an average of 3 to 4 days from the move-in report until automatic registration in the congestion toll collection system. If a reduction is not applied after the move-in date, residents should inquire with the Jung-gu Traffic Administration, and refunds will be processed through the Seoul Facilities Corporation.
Yeo Jang-kwon, head of the Seoul City Traffic Division, noted, "We will continue to strive to implement transportation policies centered on citizen convenience."