A Seoul city bus driver showed consideration to a rider whose card balance was short, and later received a warm gesture in return.
On the 16th, a post titled "A precious gift from a passenger" was uploaded to an online community. According to the post, Kang, who drives the No. 160 city bus in Seoul, recently picked up a middle-aged female passenger at the Mapo Police Station. When the passenger tapped her card, the system announced, "Insufficient balance," and the passenger tried to pay with a 10,000-won bill, but that bus did not accept cash.
Confirming that the passenger's card balance was 700 won, Kang said, "I'll process it at the children's fare (550 won) this time," and showed consideration. As she got off, the passenger handed Kang a small, repeatedly folded piece of paper. Only upon reaching the terminus did Kang check it and find that it was a handwritten letter, with 10,000 won in cash enclosed.
Identifying herself as "someone going to Samyang-dong," the passenger wrote in the letter, "In Mapo, I lost my cell phone and found it in less than 10 minutes at the police station's lost-and-found center. Someone kindly turned it in to the center. And I also appreciated your thoughtfulness in letting me pay the bus fare at the children's rate when my transit card was short."
She added, "The Mapo Police Station's civil affairs office didn't have a place to donate a piggy bank. I received such kindness from two places today, so I should do something as well. Driver, please enjoy a cold drink with your friend. Thank you."
Driver Kang said, "I told the company manager, and since it was a gift from a passenger to say thank you, I was given permission to use it. Reading the letter, I felt relieved that, thanks to another citizen, she quickly found the cell phone she had lost, and when she boarded my bus and found her card short on balance, she must have been flustered but felt very gratified that it was resolved quickly. I was even more gratified. It was rush hour and I was about to be worn out, but thanks to the precious gift, I felt a surge of energy."