The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has launched a pan-government task force to promote public transportation and ease commuting congestion in response to the oil price crisis caused by the Middle East war.
The ministry's Metropolitan Transport Commission announced on Tuesday that it established the pan-government task force on Monday. The measure aims to shift transportation demand toward public transit during high oil prices and address public inconveniences such as commuting congestion.
Seven government ministries participated in the meeting, including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Ministry of Personnel Management.
The task force will review implementation plans including flexible commuting hours for the public sector and incentives for using public transportation outside peak commuting hours. Feasible measures will be implemented preemptively, with a full action plan to be announced in late April.
"This is a time when we must pool pan-governmental capabilities and wisdom amid the emergency of the Middle East energy crisis," Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-duk said. "We will work to resolve the heavy reliance on private vehicles and support convenient and comfortable mobility for the public."
At the 14th Cabinet meeting on Sunday, President Lee Jae-myung instructed the government to preemptively implement flexible commuting systems in the public sector to mitigate the impact of surging oil prices caused by the Iran war and ease public transit congestion during rush hours. President Lee asked, "I have tried working from home before—are you also reviewing the introduction of remote work?" Minister Kim responded, "We are reviewing it."