The Korea Herald

지나쌤

[Korea Quiz] Only for the pregnant

By Korea Herald

Published : Jan. 18, 2023 - 13:13

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Upon entering certain Seoul subway cars, there are single seats at the end of a row, colored in pink. These pink seats mark priority sitting exclusively for pregnant women, a system that was first introduced by the Seoul government for transit buses in 2009 and the subway in 2013.

Since then, pregnancy priority seating has been added to public transportation in other major cities throughout the country. Meanwhile, priority seats designated for the elderly, disabled and children are within each subway car. Pregnant women can use these seats as well, but Korea is among the few countries in the world that has seats reserved exclusively for pregnant women.

Pregnant women can apply for the pink “pregnancy badge” issued by municipal governments across the country. They can attach the badge to their bags to overtly indicate their status. This badge was introduced to ensure women in early pregnancy are also more easily acknowledged.

In the southern city of Gwangju, subway cars are now equipped with a sensor system that prompts a verbal message when someone sits in the pink seat: “You are now sitting in the seat for someone pregnant. If you are not pregnant, please leave the seat.”

Answer: a), b)