Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

I make this issue (should elderly people ride the subway for free?) a writing assignment in my writing classes. Usually about half of the students write that they should ride the subway for free, and half argue they shouldn't. Among those who argue they should ride for free, these are their typical reasons:

- elderly people are often poor (my counterargument: Why not only give free subway passes to poor elderly people only? Or all poor people, regardless of age?)
- elderly people built the nation, so free subway tickets are a reward for that (my counterargument: Not all of them did. But even if all of them did, why is the subway the reward? Why not give elderly people free housing, or food, or anything else? It seems arbitrary).

(Note: I don't argue with the students about this; I just think it to myself when I'm reading their arguments)

[Squire]

I don't like the conduct of old people here one bit. Make them pay half

[hellofaniceguy]

[Weigookin74]

As people live longer and are healthier, these are the realities we face. People will have to pay more and work longer. That's life.

My baby boomer parents are working in their 60's. Will probably have to work into their early 70's, I'm guessing. The idea back home of being considered a senior citizen at 55 in 2013 is ludicrous.

So, I'm all for paying part of the fares for seniors till 70. (Let's give a discount to kids 12 years and under too.)

[Weigookin74]

[Milwaukiedave]

I have elderly in-laws and they do on occasion use the subway. My MIL is in her late 60's, FIL is in his early 80's. Both get around pretty well still.

I'd go for half payment from 65-69 and then free once a person hits 70.

[Steelrails]

My reasons for not caring whether the elderly pay or not has to do with the fact that I don't look at an elderly person on the subway and seethe with resentment that they are riding for free or the fact that I'm paying 500 won more a ride because of them.

I don't really care if I have to stand or not, and I'm not so impoverished that I care about the price difference. I'm happy that they're on the warm/cool subway at least somewhat comfortable and if an extra 500 won accomplishes that, then fine.

The day I start looking at the elderly with anger over a lost 500 won is the day I need to do something seriously different with my life.

That being said, I don't live in Seoul so I might feel differently, but somehow I doubt it. I don't care that train tickets or bus fares are cheaper for them. I am happy to give up my seat for an elderly person.

Good grief, George Costanza is less cheap and more compassionate than some of the skinflints out there.

[atwood]

The elderly are a problem for the subway system. They don't pay anything and they slow the trains down as they get on and off quite slowly and they also clog up the traffic on the stairs and the transfer paths. Thus they're having to retrofit all stations with escalators (which they sometimes can't operate due to energy concerns) and elevators (although most stations already have elevators for the handicapped.)

A fifty percent senior citizens discount seems more than fair. Trying to up the age limit or schedule peak times isn't going to work very well because people will just push through without paying (I see the homeless doing this.) or hold up traffic at turnstiles while yelling at the station attendant to let them in.

Korea has a serious aging problem. It has been forecast that in 25 years 70% of the elderly here will be living in poverty. Free subway rides and more exercise machines in parks may keep the elderly more active and fit, hopefully staying out of the hospitals which would otherwise be packed to the gills, but they are no more than stopgaps.

The government is going to have step up its programs for the elderly. If that means raising taxes, then raise them and at the same time do a better job of collecting them from the chaebols and all the cash businesses that are out there. Korea has a low tax rate compared to other developed nations. It's probably time to change that.

[Otus]

I remember when the courier companies were employing elderly folk in Seoul to deliver stuff because they could ride the subway for free. Not sure if that's still happening.

[atwood]