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Seoul Taxi Fares to Rise Drastically

The basic taxi fare in Seoul will increase 27 percent from the current W3,000 to W3,800 next year (US$1=W1,133). The basic late-night surcharge will also rise by half from W3,600 to W5,400 and applied an hour earlier at 11:00 p.m. instead of midnight until 4:00 a.m.

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But the initial distance for the basic late-night surcharge will be extended from the current 2 km to 3 km.

An official with the Seoul Metropolitan Government said, "We decided to raise the late-night surcharge sharply to discourage taxi drivers from refusing to take short-distance passengers late at night".

Fares last rose in October 2013.

The city government announced the hike in a public hearing Wednesday with taxi unions and civic groups. "We'll reach a final decision after an additional hearing next month", the official added. "But there will be probably no big changes to the proposal".

Under the new plan, the meter will also clock up faster, from W100 per 142 m to W100 per 132 m in the daytime and from W120 per 142 m to W120 per 132 m late at night.

That could increase the average monthly income of taxi drivers from W2.17 million to W2.85 million.

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