Yoon Seok-duk, Deputy General Manager at Korea Expressway Corporation
Developed Colored Road Surface Guide Lines... 905 Installed Only on Highways
"Inspired by Children's Drawings"
Initially 'Illegal' but Eventually Recognized
"Preventing Accidents Is More Important Than Compensation"
"Will Devote Remaining Career to Preventing Black Ice Accidents"
[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] “Drive along the pink lane”
At some point, when driving on the road, the vehicle navigation system started to mention colors. Following the pink or green lane makes it easier and safer to reach your destination. Who first thought of painting colors on the road? It was Seokdeok Yoon, Deputy Manager (Assistant Manager) of Construction Management Team 2, Anseong-Yongin Construction Project Group, Korea Expressway Corporation.
The colored pavement guidance lines are guiding markings applied on the road surface at junctions to direct lanes. After first being introduced at the Ansan Junction on the Yeongdong Expressway in 2011, the number of accidents in that section dropped from about 20 per year to fewer than 3. That is an 85% reduction in accidents. By 2015, 77 guidance lines had been installed, resulting in a 22% reduction in accidents at junctions and 40% at interchanges. Currently, there are 905 guidance lines on expressways alone. Including city roads and others, the number is even higher.
“Let’s paint the road”
Deputy Manager Yoon once got lost at a junction on the Yeongdong Expressway. Instead of heading toward Seoul, he ended up going toward Mokpo in Jeollanam-do. From that moment, he thought a ‘countermeasure’ was needed?a way for people to easily navigate junctions. While pondering this, a major accident occurred at Ansan Junction in March 2011. A four-vehicle collision resulted in two deaths. On the day of the fatal accident, the Gunpo branch manager told Yoon, “Let’s come up with a solution.” When he arrived home after work, his 8-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son were drawing pictures. “That’s when I remembered. If we add color to the road, people can find their way more easily.”
Assistant Manager Yoon's idea started from his own children drawing pictures. [Photo by the individual]
“It was illegal, but it was okay”
Painting pink on the road was not easy because it violated the Road Traffic Act. Only white, yellow, orange, red, and blue were allowed on existing lanes. Yoon’s idea was ‘illegal.’ “I even heard that the police might file charges.” Nevertheless, his idea decorated the Ansan Junction. After receiving positive evaluations, in 2012 he proposed painting colors on roads to the Korea Expressway Corporation’s Seoul Metropolitan Headquarters. The second guidance line was painted at the Pangyo Junction on the Gyeongbu Expressway. Yoon recalled, “It was still illegal then, but since it was justified by reducing traffic accidents, it seemed not to be regulated.”
In 2014, Korea Expressway Corporation officially recognized guidance lines through internal policies. Following the publication of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s pavement color installation management manual in 2017, the Road Traffic Act was amended in April 2021.
Colored road surface guide lines have been installed at Daeso JCT on the Pyeongtaek-Jecheon Expressway. [Photo by Korea Expressway Corporation]
“People asked me who developed it”
He did not apply for a patent while creating the guidance lines because he felt he was committing an ‘illegal’ act. “Now, even if I got caught, I think I would try it once.” He also secretly hoped someone would recognize what he had created. But it was not easy to make people aware. A colleague who was nearby even asked, “Do you know who did this?”
Still, Yoon found comfort in the fact that anyone could use it. He took pride in “saving people who could have died.” He said, “It is more important to prevent harm in advance due to flawed or insufficient systems than to receive compensation afterward.”
“I want to prevent black ice accidents”
Now, the world recognizes Deputy Manager Yoon’s contributions. After appearing on a broadcast in 2020, he received an award from the president of Korea Expressway Corporation. In 2021, on Road Day, he was gifted a watch by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Last year, he was also selected as a Korean hero at the National Foundation Day event. However, he does not recall receiving any special monetary compensation. “More than money, I think it is more than enough that someone recognized my work. I am just grateful.”
With about seven years left until retirement, Yoon has a remaining goal: to prevent black ice (thin ice) accidents. Currently, roads can be thawed using electric heating wires. But he is considering a more economical and simpler method. “I want to reduce winter road damage. After that, I think I will have no regrets when I retire.” It will be interesting to see what ideas he will come up with to make the world a better place.
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