Politics

Seoul Metropolitan Council Approves 45 Billion Won Bike Sharing Expansion, Directing New Stations to Nowon-gu and Dobong-gu

The July 7 vote adds 420 docking stations in northern districts while southern areas such as Gangnam-gu receive none under the current allocation.

By Seoul Policy Desk · Published July 9, 2026

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Seoul Metropolitan Council Approves 45 Billion Won Bike Sharing Expansion, Directing New Stations to Nowon-gu and Dobong-gu — Photo by zukunftsalick / flickr (by)

On July 7 the Seoul Metropolitan Council passed a budget amendment allocating 45 billion won to expand the Ddareungi public bike-sharing network, placing the 420 new stations and 8,400 bicycles in Nowon-gu and Dobong-gu.

Why the Vote Occurred Now

The amendment followed the Seoul Transport Corporation's March 2026 ridership forecast showing a 19 percent rise in outer-district commuting after fuel prices increased for the third consecutive quarter. Council records indicate the measure reallocates funds previously earmarked for station upgrades in central districts to meet the northern demand projection.

Effects on Residents' Daily Travel and Costs

Residents in Nowon-gu and Dobong-gu who commute to jobs in Jongno-gu or Yeongdeungpo-gu will gain 12 additional stations within 500 metres of major subway exits, reducing average first-mile costs from 1,800 won by taxi to 1,000 won by bicycle. Households in Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu will continue to rely on existing stations spaced more than 1.2 kilometres apart on average. Local advocates note that shift workers finishing after 11 p.m. in the northern districts will now have 24-hour access at 28 new locations, while southern commercial districts see no change to overnight availability.

The Seoul Transport Corporation's 2025 annual report recorded 14.5 million Ddareungi rides citywide, with northern districts accounting for 2.1 million of those trips despite having only 18 percent of total stations. The new allocation raises the northern share of stations from 18 percent to 31 percent.

Implementation is scheduled to begin in August 2026, with the first 120 stations completed by December and the remainder by June 2027, according to the council's adopted timeline. The Transport Corporation will publish quarterly usage data starting in October 2026 to track whether the added capacity meets the projected 2.8 million additional annual rides from the two districts.

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