By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon met with Carlos Fernando Galan, Mayor of Bogotá, Colombia, on August 26 in his office at Seoul City Hall to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two cities.

Seoul and Bogotá have maintained friendly relations for over 40 years since establishing a sister city relationship in 1982, actively exchanging expertise particularly in transportation sectors such as BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) card systems.

During the meeting, Mayor Oh listened to Bogotá's subway construction plans and remarked, “The ‘screen doors’ have been the most significant contributor to the globally recognized safety and convenience of the Seoul Subway.”

He added, “Installing screen doors, which completely eliminate the risk of fatal accidents and are also effective in improving heating/cooling efficiency and underground air quality, would dramatically enhance citizen safety and convenience.”

Responding to Mayor Carlos' proposal to expand cooperation beyond transportation into more diverse fields, Mayor Oh expressed gratitude, saying, “I appreciate your continued interest and participation in ‘Smart Life Week 2025’ this year, following last year. I hope this exchange will be the start of continuously discovering and sharing areas where our two cities can collaborate, such as smart cities and the environment.”

Since exporting its ‘transportation card system’ to Bogotá in 2011, Seoul has continued to export and advise on transportation policies, including integrated fare settlement systems and congestion pricing system consulting, up to the present.