The Seoul Metropolitan Council has set the raise in subway and bus fares at 300 won.

During a plenary session on Friday, the council approved the city’s plan seeking to adjust public transportation fees, settling on the increase.

Under the plan, proportional fees in subway fares will also rise. For a distance between ten and 50 kilometers, every five kilometer ride will see an extra charge of 150 won, up  from the current 100 won. If the distance surpasses 50 kilometers, the surcharge will apply for every eight kilometers.

In a report, the council's transportation committee advised limiting the hike to 300 won in the second half of the year but called for a freeze to other distance-based fare hikes to lessen the financial burden on long distance commuters.

The council also proposed minimum fare increases for children and teenagers and that fares for those paying in cash and credit card be unified at the same rate given the fact that people rarely use cash. 

The planned hike, which will likely be fixed at 300 won, will be finalized by a consumer inflation deliberations committee next month and is expected to take effect later this year.