Tolls on Busan's Gwangan Bridge, a key transportation artery used by tens of thousands of vehicles daily, are set to become free during weekday commuting hours.
The Construction and Transportation Committee of the Busan Metropolitan Council held a plenary session Wednesday and passed an alternative bill consolidating amendments separately proposed by Lim Mal-sook of the People Power Party (Haeundae 2) and independent council member Seo Ji-yeon. The amendments revise the city's ordinance on toll road fee collection.
The alternative bill centers on making Gwangan Bridge tolls free during commuting hours, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, excluding Saturdays and public holidays. Currently, tolls during weekday commuting hours are reduced by 50 percent.
If the amendment passes the plenary session scheduled for June 23, it will take effect immediately upon promulgation, meaning the toll exemption during commuting hours is expected to be implemented by July at the latest. The amendment also allows families fostering children under protection in accordance with the Child Welfare Act to receive the same 50 percent Gwangan Bridge toll reduction granted to multi-child families with two or more children. This provision is included in the supplementary clause to take effect on Jan. 1 next year.
"Making Gwangan Bridge commuting tolls free is a life-oriented policy to ease the economic burden on citizens," Lim said. "I hope it will continue to be carried out without setbacks so that citizens can feel tangible benefits."
If the alternative bill passes, it is also expected to help address the chronic toll non-payment problem on Gwangan Bridge. Late last year, the Busan Facilities Corporation began legal proceedings against 50 high-amount delinquents who habitually failed to pay Gwangan Bridge tolls.
According to the corporation, the total unpaid amount owed by the 50 delinquents reached 107 million won, with violations totaling about 15,700 cases. In particular, one delinquent was found to have failed to pay 519 tolls, amounting to 4.77 million won in unpaid fees.
The corporation filed its first criminal complaints in 2024 against 33 habitual high-amount Gwangan Bridge toll delinquents and has collected 31.76 million won in unpaid fees so far.
