Korail fined $1.4 million for safety lapses

• Published date: 08 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

State-run Korea Railroad Corp. (Korail) and Seoul Metro have been fined 1.92 billion won ($1.4 million) and 120 million won, respectively, for making unauthorized changes in their work-shift systems, and other violations, the transport ministry said Tuesday.

The record penalty imposed on Korail follows a 1.8 billion won fine in January.

Dismissed Korail CEO Na Hee-seung will be replaced in the first half, upon President Yoon Suk Yeol's appointment of one among a shortlist of nominees selected by a finance ministry-led recommendation committee. The committee will review candidates for one month.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the shift put in place led to fewer, entry- or junior-level Korail and Seoul Metro workers handling a greater volume of train operations, causing repeated safety lapses and a number of fatal accidents over the past few months.

"The rail operators should have sought our permission before revising their work-shift system, especially when it meant fewer numbers of employees being assigned to high-risk safety work," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry imposed a 720 million won fine on Korail for failing to follow safety protocols before maintenance work. This led to a power outage in a tunnel, causing the...