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| ▲ Representatives of the Seoul Bus Union (L) and the management (R) pose for photos after reaching a wage deal at the Seoul branch of the National Labor Relations Commission in western Seoul on Jan. 15, 2026. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Buses are parked at a bus depot in northern Seoul on Jan. 14, 2026. (Yonhap) |
(2nd LD) Seoul bus-strike
(2nd LD) Unionized bus drivers in Seoul end strike after reaching wage deal
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SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- Unionized bus drivers in Seoul have reached a collective wage deal with the management, ending a two-day strike that caused major disruptions for commuters, according to officials Thursday.
The agreement was reached late Wednesday in a special mediation session at the Seoul branch of the National Labor Relations Commission following nine hours of negotiations, according to Seoul city government officials.
Bus services in the capital were scheduled to operate normally starting Thursday morning, putting an end to the bus drivers' first strike in two years, which began Tuesday after wage talks broke down.
Under the finalized agreement, the two sides agreed on a 2.9 percent wage hike and to gradually extend the retirement age to 65 by July next year from the current 63.
The strike had caused major inconvenience to commuters, with only 562, or 8 percent, of the city's 7,018 intracity buses in operation Wednesday morning.
The strike prompted the Seoul city government to increase the number of additional subway services during rush hour from 172 on Tuesday to 203 on Wednesday. The peak commuter train service hours were also expanded by two hours Wednesday, compared with one hour Tuesday.
In addition, the authorities tried to alleviate platform congestion by sending empty trains to heavily congested subway stations during rush hour and increased safety personnel to more than twice the usual level at 86 major stations.
The city government said it mobilized 677 chartered buses on 134 routes throughout the capital Tuesday, serving 86,035 passengers. On Wednesday, 86 additional chartered buses were deployed, bringing the total to 763.
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