Frozen commute in Seoul amid bus strike

Subway Line 4 trains in Seoul are crowded with commuters during the morning rush hour as the city bus labor union begins an indefinite full-scale strike. on Jan. 13, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) -Buses across Seoul ground to a halt at 4 a.m. on Jan. 13 after labor and management failed to reach an agreement on wages and collective bargaining, triggering an indefinite strike and plunging the morning commute into chaos.

With bus services fully suspended from the first scheduled departures, commuters crowded subway platforms, huddled at deserted bus stops and waited for hours for taxis that never came. Many learned of the strike only after stepping into the cold.

A heavy snowfall the day before, followed by biting temperatures, worsened conditions. Some commuters abandoned long waits and walked part of the way to work, their breath hanging in the air as traffic slowed and sidewalks iced over.

Negotiations between the Seoul City Bus Labor Union, under the Korean Automobile Workers Federation, and the Seoul Bus Transport Association broke down around 1:30 a.m. Seoul operates 7,382 city buses across 394 routes run by 64 companies — all of them idled.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government activated emergency transport measures, increasing subway frequency, expanding community bus services and urging taxi drivers to stay on the road.

But with talks still deadlocked, uncertainty lingers — and for many commuters, the day began not with a ride, but with a long, cold wait. A taxi stand at Seoul Station is crowded with people on the morning of Jan. 13 as the city bus labor union begins an indefinite full-scale strike. on Jan. 13, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyun A taxi stand at Seoul Station is crowded with people on the morning of Jan. 13 as the city bus labor union begins an indefinite full-scale strike. on Jan. 13, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyunA bus stop in Seoul stands empty on the morning of Jan. 13 as the city bus labor union begins an indefinite full-scale strike. on Jan. 13, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyun

 

Arrival information is displayed at a bus stop in Seoul on the morning of Jan. 13 as the city bus labor union begins an indefinite full-scale strike. on Jan. 13, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyun

 

Yoo Na-hyun Reporter shooting@ajupress.com