Gwangju City News

Gwangju Metropolitan City has virtually finalized the plan to increase the basic taxi fare and is coordinating the application period.

The City announced on February 2 that it plans to increase the basic taxi fare by 700 won from the existing 3,300 won to 4,000 won. The application period is expected to be at the beginning or end of March.

It is the first time in four years since January 2019 that the basic taxi fare in Gwangju has been raised. The City is in the position that an increase is inevitable as the basic taxi fare is at the lowest level in the country, but the burden on ordinary people is expected to increase as the price of food products continues to rise following public prices.

From January 22, a rightturn regulation was newly introduced due to the revision and implementation of the Enforcement Rules of the Road Traffic Act, and the Gwangju Metropolitan City Autonomous Police Committee requested that vehicle drivers comply with the law.

Due to the revision of the Road Traffic Act, which strengthened the duty to protect pedestrians, from July 12 of last year, drivers are required to “temporarily stop if there is a pedestrian regardless of the signal.” You can only turn right when the signal turns green.

In places where a right-turn signal is installed, a fullscale crackdown is scheduled after a three-month trial period. There will be a fine of 60,000 won for cars and 40,000 won for two-wheeled vehicles for those who violate the rule.

The Fire Safety Headquarters of Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on February 6 that the standard for installing firefighting facilities has been strengthened according to the revision of the Firefighting Facilities Installation and Management Act on December 1, 2022.

Reinforced firefighting facilities include residential automatic fire extinguishing devices in kitchens, independent alarm-type detectors, sprinkler facilities, fire extinguishing facilities such as water sprayers, and automatic fire detectors.

In the past, automatic fire extinguishers were installed only in “officetels” of 30 floors or more, but according to the revised law, they must be installed in all “officetels.”

Gwangju Metropolitan City has decided to reconsider the plan to increase public parking lot fees in May.

Three public parking lots in Songjeong-dong, Gwangju, have raised their parking fees to almost double the usual amount (from 70,000 won to 130,000 won based on monthly passes).

Through the Gwangsan-gu Transportation Facility Team, it was said that it was an excessive increase during the already difficult economic situation, and the residents opposed the fare increase. Just in time, merchants at Gwangju’s traditional markets, such as Yangdong Market, strongly protested.

Facing stiff opposition, the City finally withdrew its plan to increase public parking lot fees and decided to maintain the current rate system, which is considered the right decision considering the economic situation and the difficulties faced by small businesses.

Gwangju Metropolitan City will offer support for heating costs to families with infants and toddlers, the only place in the country to do so.

The City decided to supply 200,000 won for heating costs per household with infants and young children to ease the economic burden of citizens caused by an unusual cold wave and soaring heating costs, and promulgated a related revised ordinance on February 13.

This new heating cost support program is for households with infant and toddler dependents (born between January 1, 2017 and February 28, 2023) whose address has been in Gwangju as of February 1, 2023.

※ Infants: Preschool children under the age of six (Infant and Toddler Care Act)

The heating fund will be deposited into the child allowance account (아동수당 지급 계좌) of each family through the autonomous district on February 23.

For families without a child allowance account, such as those with newborns, they can apply through the Community Service Center in the jurisdiction where they live by March 15 and will be paid at the end of March.

From February 13, Covid-19 vaccination will be available to infants and toddlers (six months to four years old).

A Pfizer vaccine will be available for infants for a total of three times at eight-week intervals, and they can be vaccinated at any of the consigned medical institutions listed below after prior reservation using the vaccination reservation system (ncvr.kdca.go.kr): Buk-gu: Bukgu Mirae Children’s Hospital, Eden Hospital; Seo-gu: Mirae-ro 21 Hospital, Mizpia Hospital, I-First Children’s Hospital, Woori Children’s Hospital; Nam-gu: Moa Maternity Hospital, Mirae Children’s Hospital, Aiwon Pediatric Clinic, Jinwol Pediatric Clinic, Hi Pediatric Clinic; Dong-gu: Balkeun Pediatric Clinic, Woori Ai Pediatric Clinic, Han Euijeong Pediatric Clinic; Gwangsan-gu: Hana Children’s Hospital, Hanam Sangsim Hospital, Hanmaeum Hospital

Call Center: 062-120