"Protest Against Coercive Investigation," Seoul Metro Union Demonstrates in Front of Western District Prosecutors' Office

"No safety accidents have occurred within the station"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The joint action of three labor unions under Seoul Metro held a rally on the 18th in front of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office in Mapo-gu, Seoul, voicing condemnation of the coercive investigation.

Three labor unions under Seoul Metro held a joint protest on the 18th in front of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office in Mapo-gu, Seoul, condemning the coercive investigation.
Photo by Tae-won Choi skking@

Through the rally at 10:30 a.m. that day, the joint labor action demanded the withdrawal of the investigation into two Seoul Metro employees who were sent to the prosecution in connection with the Itaewon tragedy. Their position is that the responsibility of the corporation is limited to within the station.

They appealed their grievances through representatives' speeches. Wi Hyunbok, head of the Operations Division of the Seoul Metro Proper Union, emphasized that no safety accidents occurred inside the station. He argued, “No safety accidents occurred at Itaewon Station, and it is necessary to recall that the business office and the station prevented such accidents.”

Claims were also made that the corporation made sufficient efforts to prepare for safety accidents. Kim Myunghee, head of the Operations 1 Division of the Seoul Metro Integrated Union, said, “On the day of the tragedy, the Seoul Metro Operations Headquarters deployed 26 employees at Itaewon Station, where normally only 2 to 3 people work.”

Meanwhile, after the rally, they submitted a petition to the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office. A total of 3,083 Seoul Metro employees participated in submitting the petition.