Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility Free Shuttle Bus to Continue Normal Operations Without Interruption

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] The 'Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility free shuttle bus,' which was slated to suspend operations from the 28th of this month due to possible violations of the Public Official Election Act, will continue normal operations.

Suwon Special City held a meeting with relevant departments on the 11th and decided to operate the shuttle bus without interruption, following a response from the Gwonseon-gu Election Commission stating that the free shuttle bus operation is 'permissible under the Public Official Election Act.'

The Suwon YMCA, which operates the Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility under a contract with Suwon City, posted this information on the facility's homepage and internal bulletin boards.

The city and Suwon YMCA plan to complete the bus operator selection process this month and continue operating the free shuttle bus as before from March onward.

The city had previously considered a temporary suspension of the shuttle bus service due to concerns that the free shuttle bus operation could constitute a 'donation' under the Public Official Election Act, as well as issues of fairness with other public sports facilities.

Considering that the Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility is located in an area underserved by public transportation, the city actively pursued ways to continue the service. The city maintains that there is no problem with operating the shuttle bus now that concerns about violations of the Public Official Election Act have been resolved.

Accordingly, the city will secure emergency funding for shuttle bus operations through the first supplementary budget this year and will also revise relevant ordinances to establish a clearer operational basis.

The free shuttle bus at the Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility, considering the area's limited public transportation, was launched by the city in 2006 when the facility opened. Five 25-passenger buses operate on an hourly basis from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., serving the Pyeong, Homae-sil, Ipbuk, and Omok-cheon districts, with an average daily usage of approximately 500 people.

A city official stated, "The free shuttle bus is an essential service not only for residents' convenience but also for helping to achieve carbon neutrality," and added, "We will do our best to ensure that anyone can conveniently use the Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility going forward."

The Seosuwon Residents Amenity Facility is a public cultural and sports facility operated as part of support measures for residents in the vicinity of waste treatment facilities. It consists of indoor and outdoor sports facilities including a swimming pool, fitness center, and soccer field, as well as lifelong education facilities and a library.