Seoul Metro is intensifying its crackdown on fare evasion as violations continue to occur across the network, with an average of more than 53,000 cases detected annually between 2023 and 2025. During that period, the operator collected more than 2.5 billion won (about €1.4 million) in additional charges per year from fare evaders.
Fare evasion remains a persistent challenge in 2026, with nearly 8,800 violations detected during the first quarter alone and 460 million won (about €262,000) in additional charges imposed. According to Seoul Metro, around 80% of all cases involve the fraudulent use of preferential transit cards, often when passengers use discounted passes issued to family members or acquaintances.
The operator has also reported widespread misuse of the Climate Companion Card. Since dedicated enforcement measures were introduced last year, nearly 5,900 cases have been identified, resulting in approximately 294 million won (about €168,000) in additional charges. Common violations include sharing cards between multiple users, using another person’s pass, and the improper use of youth-discount cards.
To deter fraudulent use, Seoul Metro uses gate-based alerts to help identify potential misuse of discounted travel cards. When certain discounted cards are presented at the gate, a purple light is displayed and an audio message indicating a youth discount is played, enabling staff to verify that the card is being used by an eligible passenger.
Passengers caught evading fares may be required to pay the original fare plus a surcharge of up to 30 times the ticket price. Repeat offenders may also face retroactive charges for previous journeys. Seoul Metro says it applies a zero-tolerance policy toward fare evasion, pursuing civil action and, in some cases, criminal complaints against offenders who refuse to pay additional charges. Over the past year, the operator filed 17 civil lawsuits and carried out 40 compulsory enforcement actions to recover unpaid charges.
The measures reflect Seoul Metro’s broader effort to protect fare revenue, ensure fairness for paying passengers, and discourage the misuse of discounted travel programs.
The original article is available here: https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-society/2026/04/27/MWNQLNG4VJDARM6OL7MKHCSGKM/
