Lift Stopped 3 Times in One Year... Why Do Ski Resort Accidents Keep Happening?

Many Aging Facilities and Formal Safety Inspections Issues
Ski Resort Industry Moves to Strengthen Self-Inspections

At around 4:12 PM on the 19th, an unexplained lift stoppage accident occurred at the Alpensia Resort ski area in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon Province, leaving many passengers stranded. Fire authorities are conducting rescue operations at the accident site.
[Photo by Gangwon Fire Headquarters] [Image source=Yonhap News]

As the winter ski season approaches, safety concerns have arisen following an incident where a lift stopped at the Alpensia Resort ski area in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. There have been three lift-related accidents this year alone, prompting calls for a fundamental analysis of the causes and the establishment of countermeasures. The related industry is anxious as safety accidents have recurred just as they were preparing to welcome skiers following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

According to the Gangwon-do Fire Headquarters on the 24th, 54 ski resort users were stranded in the air for over three hours and were all rescued after a lift stoppage incident occurred at Alpensia Resort ski area on the afternoon of the 19th.

The resort explained, "After the accident occurred, we delivered the available rescue equipment and followed the instructions of the 119 rescue team to carry out a safe rescue. We did our best to ensure safety by providing hot packs, blankets, and heating devices to restore the body temperature of the rescued customers." They added, "Currently, the technical teams are thoroughly investigating the cause of the lift stoppage. We are making every effort to prepare measures to prevent recurrence and compensation, and we will spare no support in consultation with the relevant authorities for the treatment of the injured."

Earlier in January, a lift ran backward at a ski resort in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do, causing about 100 passengers to shiver in cold and fear. Just one week later, a lift stopped at a ski resort in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon-do, resulting in the rescue of 36 users.

The aging of facilities is cited as the cause of these repeated accidents. The lift at the Pocheon ski resort was installed in 1985, and the facility at the Hoengseong-gun ski resort was built in 1995. A leisure industry official said, "Although each ski resort conducts its own inspections of facilities such as lifts not only during the season but also in off-season periods, many facilities are around 20 to 30 years old, so unexpected safety accidents seem to be recurring."

There are also concerns that the safety inspections mandated by the government and related authorities may be merely formalities. Currently, 171 ski resort and tourist lifts are registered nationwide. These facilities undergo an annual regular inspection by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority according to relevant laws. However, this is not a detailed inspection involving complete disassembly of the lifts, making it difficult to identify any problems with the facilities. The Alpensia Resort ski area also passed the Korea Transportation Safety Authority's regular inspection in May, and the lifts involved in recent accidents only received 'recommendation' measures without legal binding force.

With the winter season underway, ski resorts are conducting their own safety inspections and reorganizing to welcome customers in response to this incident. An industry official said, "The number of visitors to ski resorts is recovering to pre-COVID-19 levels, but there are concerns that the atmosphere may dampen due to safety accidents. We plan to strengthen our own inspections of facilities such as lifts."