The Seoul metropolitan city said Monday it will attach certification marks to more than 2,500 taxis providing good service, while discontinuing subsidies to "unkind" taxis as part of its efforts to improve taxi service quality.

A city official said the city's stick and carrot policy will start late this month or early next month, with the certification mark "AAA" being attached to a total of 2,550 "best" cabs owned by 26 companies.

The selected taxis are 10 percent of the total corporate taxis in the capital, a result from the city's service evaluation of taxi companies last year.

The official said the "AAA" mark will be designed to easily catch sight of and attached at the lamp shade on the cab's roof.

The AAA mark will be also attached to the right side of the taxi with an explanation for easy understanding by citizens.

As for taxis with poor service, the city has decided to cut financial assistance to taxi companies who have been the frequent objects of civil complaints.

Presently, the city has assisted with commission charges for credit card payments of less than 6,000 won ($5).

The city has made efforts to reduce by half complaints related to taxi service by the end of 2018.

The number of civil complaints last year stood at 23,000, a 16.6 percent decrease from the previous year's 28,000 cases.

Of the complaints, unkindness accounted for the most with 8,600 cases, followed by drivers' refusal of passengers with 7,700, and unfair demand of fare with 4,900. (Yonhap)