Seoul subway loses nearly half of every fare as free rides, discounts take a toll

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• ·Seoul Metro says free rides, transfer discounts and rising costs pushed its annual loss to 826.8 billion won despite higher ridership.
• ·Seoul's subway system loses nearly 800 won (50 cents) on every passenger it carries, according to figures released Friday by Seoul Metro.
• ·The company, operating subway lines 1 through 8, said the cost of transporting a passenger last year was 1,817 won, while the average fare paid was just 1,036 won — a gap driven in large part by free rides for seniors and disabled passengers and discounted bus transfers that the company provides without government compensation, its data showed.
• ·The deficit varied by line and its ridership.
• ·Line 2, for instance, which runs a circular route through central Seoul and connects major business districts such as Gangnam and Jamsil with dense commercial and residential areas, had the lowest per-passenger cost at 1,374 won.