Seoul, May 28 (IANS): Labour union for the Seoul subway on Saturday said it reached an agreement with the South Korean capital's government to extend public transportation operations past midnight, two years after they were scaled back due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unionised workers of Seoul Metro, operator of the subway system, said operation hours will be extended from midnight to 1 a.m. on weekdays starting as early as next month, with the exact dates varying depending on the subway line, reports Xinhua news agency.

Lines 2 and 6-8 will begin the extended night-time service from early June, while lines 1, 3 and 4 are expected to be pushed back around August.

The schedule change for Line 5 will be confirmed upon approval by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The agreement, which excludes weekends and holidays, comes amid a public outcry over the difficulty of grabbing taxis at night following the significant easing of social distancing restrictions.

The late-night service has been suspended since April 1, 2020.