Gamcheon Cultural Village on the hillside... raises fares for village buses
"The village bus is like the feet of our residents who are in a difficult situation, but what can we do if the fare is raised?"
Byun Jong-gye, chairman of the Gamcheon 2-dong Residents' Self-Governance Committee, who lives in Gamcheon Cultural Village in Saha-gu, Busan, said this with a heavy sigh on the 26th.
Gamcheon Cultural Village, a representative tourist destination in Korea, is often referred to as the "Busan Machu Picchu" because of its spectacular pastel-colored houses built in terraces along the mountainside.
About 30 residents of the village held a rally in front of Saha-gu Office in Busan that afternoon.
They were protesting the 400 won increase in fares for village buses in Saha-gu from the 6th of next month.
Earlier, Saha-gu decided to raise the cash-based adult fare by 400 won, from the current 1,200 won to 1,600 won.
When news of the fare hike broke, residents of the village, who rely heavily on village buses, immediately reacted.
"Not many residents have cars because they can't afford them, and the village itself is located at the foot of a mountain, making it difficult to walk up," Byun said. "Most of the residents are elderly, and they have to spend more money every time they go to the hospital or buy groceries."
Residents argued that the fee hike was not appropriate given the large number of international tourists visiting the village, most of whom use the village bus.
So far this year, Gamcheon Cultural Village has received about 2 million visitors.
"Now that COVID-19 is over, tourists are starting to flock again," said a resident, "and it's not a good environment to visit Gamcheon Cultural Village due to inconvenient transportation, so how can they raise the fare for the village bus?"
"With the influx of tourists, the bus company must have seen some surplus," he said. "Considering that the residents have given up some space in the village for tourists, the Sahagu District and the bus company should also consider the residents."
Sahagu says the fare hike is inevitable, as ridership on village buses has dropped significantly since COVID-19, and the deficit has accumulated due to factors such as rising labor costs and inflation.
"The inflation rate has been more than 50 percent, but the fare for village buses has been virtually frozen," Sahagu said. "The minimum wage has also increased a lot, so we ask for your understanding as a measure to adjust to inflation."
Byun Jong-gye, chairman of the Gamcheon 2-dong Residents' Self-Governance Committee, who lives in Gamcheon Cultural Village in Saha-gu, Busan, said this with a heavy sigh on the 26th.
Gamcheon Cultural Village, a representative tourist destination in Korea, is often referred to as the "Busan Machu Picchu" because of its spectacular pastel-colored houses built in terraces along the mountainside.
About 30 residents of the village held a rally in front of Saha-gu Office in Busan that afternoon.
They were protesting the 400 won increase in fares for village buses in Saha-gu from the 6th of next month.
Earlier, Saha-gu decided to raise the cash-based adult fare by 400 won, from the current 1,200 won to 1,600 won.
When news of the fare hike broke, residents of the village, who rely heavily on village buses, immediately reacted.
"Not many residents have cars because they can't afford them, and the village itself is located at the foot of a mountain, making it difficult to walk up," Byun said. "Most of the residents are elderly, and they have to spend more money every time they go to the hospital or buy groceries."
Residents argued that the fee hike was not appropriate given the large number of international tourists visiting the village, most of whom use the village bus.
So far this year, Gamcheon Cultural Village has received about 2 million visitors.
"Now that COVID-19 is over, tourists are starting to flock again," said a resident, "and it's not a good environment to visit Gamcheon Cultural Village due to inconvenient transportation, so how can they raise the fare for the village bus?"
"With the influx of tourists, the bus company must have seen some surplus," he said. "Considering that the residents have given up some space in the village for tourists, the Sahagu District and the bus company should also consider the residents."
Sahagu says the fare hike is inevitable, as ridership on village buses has dropped significantly since COVID-19, and the deficit has accumulated due to factors such as rising labor costs and inflation.
"The inflation rate has been more than 50 percent, but the fare for village buses has been virtually frozen," Sahagu said. "The minimum wage has also increased a lot, so we ask for your understanding as a measure to adjust to inflation."
BUSANNAVI
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2023-09-27 12:07
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Busan City
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