Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon says he will leave open all possibilities as calls grow to up the age of eligibility for free subway rides offered to seniors.

In a social media post on Friday, Oh said that now is the time to start social discourse on revamping the rate system for public transportation.

His remarks came a day after Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo said the city is considering raising the age of seniors eligible for free subway rides to 70 or older, up from the current eligibility age of 65 or older for free rides on subways in six major cities, including Seoul.

Oh noted that the elderly population is set to account for a third the nation’s entire population in the near future, and that the future generation should not be burdened with losses incurred from the subway free ride policy.

He then stressed the need for the finance ministry to partially cover such losses as the free ride benefits are part of the nation’s welfare policy.

Oh also called for an update to the basic rate system of public transportation based on social consensus, adding that he began related discussions with the Korean Senior Citizens Association early this year.

The government and the ruling People Power Party(PPP) are also seeking to raise the age of eligibility for such rides in an effort to stem the losses incurred by municipal governments.