Since this February, Seoul City raised the minimum fare for a mid-sized taxi from ₩3,800 to ₩4,800 and reduced the base distance from 2km to 1.6km. Furthermore, last December, Seoul City extended the late-night surcharge time slot from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and the extra surcharge from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., increasing the minimum fare of these hours to ₩6700. The Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to increase the fare to fix the taxi service shortage problem by giving better treatment to drivers and revitalize the corporation-owned taxi industry – which many left after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) struck. The fare hike goes beyond taxis; starting in April, bus and subway fares will also rise by ₩300. Seoul City insisted that the increment is inevitable due to accumulated losses of buses and taxis, and the country’s decision not to support the budget deficit caused by free transportation for the elderly, underprivileged, and people with disabilities. For the past five years, Seoul City and Seoul Metro had covered the budget deficit by publishing bonds and financial aid. However, they have now determined that management would be unstable due to the decrease in customers and the opening of the private-funded train. Criticisms exist that a fare rise being the only measure is just another “quick and easy” solution for the government. Regarding this issue, the Korean Federation of Trade Unions held a press conference on January 13th and strongly condemned the decision to shift the financial burden to citizens.