Seogangseok, Songpa-gu Mayor, Inspects Subway Congestion Personally... "Safety First in All Tasks"

Seogangseok, Songpa-gu Mayor, Visits Congested Subway Stations During Morning Rush on the 7th to Identify Accident Risks, Experiences Subway Congestion On-site & Emphasizes Regular Patrols and Safety Practices & Plans to Strengthen Safety Education Including CPR and Conduct Safety Inspections of Key Facilities

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seogang-seok, Mayor of Songpa District Office, visited crowded areas such as subways with high overcrowding risk during commuting hours on the 7th to directly assess congestion conditions.

Mayor Seogang-seok explained the background, saying, “I visited the site to personally experience the congestion levels during the morning commute at subway stations most frequently used by Songpa residents and to check for any risk factors.”

Starting at 8 a.m. from Mongchontoseong Station, he boarded Line 8 subway heading toward Jamsil Station to begin assessing the overcrowding risk during commuting hours.

First, he got off at Jamsil Station, which ranks second in population density among Seoul subway stations with an average of 130,500 daily boardings and alightings. After passing through the transfer stairs and inspecting Jamsil Station, he said, “Although it’s not quite a ‘hell train,’ it is true that both inside the subway and the passageways are packed with passengers. I urge the on-site managers and public officials to strengthen regular patrols and inspections so that residents can respond safely in case of an actual disaster.”

Next, he took Line 8 again to Munjeong Station and toured the underground first-floor station concourse and Munjeong Station entrance with the morning crowd via the stairs. Munjeong Station is located in Songpa’s largest business district, housing 3,000 to 4,000 companies in the nearby Munjeong Biz Valley, as well as the Munjeong Legal Complex and Culture Valley, attracting many young people. The station sees an average of about 35,000 daily boardings and alightings.

Mayor Seo stated, “Currently, due to road expansion construction, exits 3 and 4 are closed at Munjeong Station, causing crowding, which particularly requires safety accident prevention. I ask that you carefully inspect whether there are any improvements needed for residents to use the subway safely and conveniently, repeatedly check facilities throughout the station, and eliminate even the slightest risk factors to thoroughly prepare for any possible accidents.”

He also emphasized, “For a safe city, the interest of the highest administrative official is crucial,” and urged public officials to “prioritize safety in all tasks and make safety a part of daily life.”

Additionally, Songpa District, led by Mayor Seogang-seok, will conduct comprehensive inspections of safety and health compliance workplaces and major civic disaster target facilities, including performance venues where large-scale crowd events are scheduled, to focus all efforts on safety measures.

On the 11th, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training will be provided to all Songpa District employees, with plans to expand CPR and disaster safety education to all residents. On the 16th, the ‘Songpa District Disaster Response Safety Korea Drill’ will be conducted. Reflecting Songpa’s characteristics of a large population and many large performance halls, a large-scale response drill simulating a fire accident caused by a terrorist attack during a K-pop concert will be held.

Mayor Seogang-seok stated, “We will continuously conduct thorough safety inspections in all areas and establish a system capable of immediate response to new disaster situations,” adding, “We will carry out meticulous administration to ensure that urban disasters never occur again.”