The Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 12th that it has prepared emergency transport measures as the city bus labor union has announced a strike starting with the first bus on the 13th.
The city will maintain a coordination system through cooperation with related agencies such as transport operators, autonomous districts, and the Korean National Police Agency. It also plans to mobilize all personnel and means of transportation to carry out measures tailored to the strike situation.
First, from the 13th until the strike ends, additional and extended public transportation service will be provided. For subways, the rush hour standard will be extended by one hour from the existing 7 a.m.–9 a.m. and 6 p.m.–8 p.m. to 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. During this time, the number of trains dispatched will be increased to operate 79 more runs.
The last train time will also be pushed back from 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. at terminal stations, adding 93 more runs. In addition, 15 emergency standby trains will be prepared for immediate deployment in case of delays or crowding. Order-keeping personnel will be deployed at crowded locations such as Hongdae Entrance Station, Seoul Station, and Gangnam Station.
All 25 autonomous districts in Seoul will run free shuttle buses to quickly connect with subway commutes. Focusing on areas among suspended city bus routes that are not served by village buses, about 670 public and private vehicles will be deployed to connect major hubs to subway stations.
In addition, the city will ask public institutions and private companies within its jurisdiction to adjust start times by one hour during the strike. This is to disperse travel demand concentrated during the morning commute in case the strike is prolonged.
Ye Jang-gwon, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Transportation Bureau, said, "We will mobilize all possible transport capacity and make every effort to minimize inconvenience for citizens using public transportation," adding, "We hope labor and management will reach an amicable agreement, and we will do our best to normalize operations."
Meanwhile, the labor and management of Seoul city buses will enter last-minute talks on the day. The Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission will hold a post-mediation meeting of the special mediation committee from the afternoon, with public-interest members participating as mediators. Post-mediation is a system that supports dispute resolution by conducting mediation even when mediation does not succeed within the mediation period.