Nearly 4,000 misuse cases reported for Seoul’s ‘Climate Card’ transit pass

A commuter taps the Climate Card onto a card reader at City Hall Station on Subway Line No. 1 in Seoul. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)

Nearly 4,000 cases of misuse involving Seoul’s all-inclusive transit card were reported during the first five months of this year, according to data released by Seoul Metro.

The Climate Card, launched in January, offers unlimited access to public transportation within Seoul and select neighboring areas for 65,000 won ($48) a month. The rechargeable monthly pass has proven popular, with an average of 850,000 daily users as of April.

But Seoul Metro says some riders have been abusing the system. From January through May, officials identified 3,950 misuse cases, typically caught by staff stationed near ticket gates or spotted through surveillance footage.

It included adults falsely claiming youth discounts, intended for riders aged 13 to 39, and individuals sharing a single card across multiple people.

Those caught face a fine equal to 30 times the standard fare.

The transit authority said it is considering a revision to increase the penalty to 50 times the fare.

“We plan to strengthen enforcement and improve our response to prevent further abuse of the Climate Card,” the agency said in a statement.

Officials are also preparing to introduce a new voice alert system that will announce “youth discount” whenever a discounted card is used, as part of a broader effort to discourage unauthorized use.