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Presidential hopefuls of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) pose for a photo during the first round of the party's primary debates at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo District, Seoul, on April 19. From left are Yoo Jeong-bok, Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Moon-soo, and Yang Hyang-ja. Candidates from Group B also pose for a photo before their debate held at the same venue on April 20. From left are Lee Cheol-woo, Na Kyung-won, Hong Joon-pyo, and Han Dong-hoon. / Source: Yonhap, National Assembly Photo Press Corps

Kim Moon-soo, a presidential hopeful from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), pledged on April 20 to expand free public transportation benefits for senior citizens, allowing those aged 65 and older to ride buses for free during off-peak hours.

In a press release, Kim unveiled his “transportation and housing pledge for seniors,” proposing that the elderly be permitted to use buses free of charge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., outside of morning and evening rush hours. While seniors currently enjoy free subway rides regardless of the time, Kim argued that many prefer buses, and the current policy lacks practical effectiveness.

He also noted that the existing free subway ride system has faced criticism for increasing congestion during peak commuting hours and causing backlash among younger commuters. By limiting the free rides to off-peak periods, he aims to reduce such tensions while still offering meaningful benefits to the elderly.

Kim emphasized that this policy would also help elderly residents in non-metropolitan areas, where subway service is unavailable and bus access is often the only public transit option. The extension of benefits would help address what he called “reverse discrimination” faced by seniors outside the capital region.

In addition, Kim promised to designate 25% of new public housing units for elderly and childcare households, mandating the inclusion of basic healthcare, caregiving, and meal service facilities. He cited surveys indicating that many older adults prefer moving to smaller apartments or senior housing communities.

"As seniors no longer need large apartments after their children move out, this special housing allocation can help free up roughly 2 million mid- to large-sized units occupied by the elderly," he explained.

Calling the proposal “the least we can offer to the seniors who devoted their lives to their families and the national economy,” Kim vowed to focus all his efforts on improving welfare across transportation and housing sectors.

Kim also proposed a nationwide “Digital Unified Transit Pass for the Disabled,” allowing individuals with disability registration cards to use subways across the country with a single integrated card. “We will simplify transportation access for people with disabilities and build a country where they can travel with peace of mind,” he said.

A day earlier, Kim had also rolled out an economic pledge to support youth employment, promising corporate tax breaks and government bidding advantages for companies that hire entry-level employees through open recruitment. His "Top 30 Group Entry-Level Hiring Promotion Policy" aims to revive the large-scale recruitment practices once common among Korea’s major conglomerates.