Korea Rail Network Authority Conducts Safety Inspections on '2023 Spring Thaw Steep Slopes'

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] The Korea Rail Network Authority announced on the 20th that it will conduct a full inspection of 2,671 steep slopes adjacent to railway lines to prevent safety accidents on railway lines during the thawing season until April 15.

The inspection, which began on the 14th, is being carried out over 60 days by inspection teams formed jointly with Korea Railroad Corporation and private experts, focusing on ▲ the condition of slopes such as cracks and subsidence ▲ the risk of falling rocks ▲ the possibility of medium and small-scale collapses. To respond immediately to risk factors, a disaster response situation room will be operated from the thawing season (February to April) through the rainy season (May to October).

The inspection results will be transparently disclosed on the Authority’s website, and locations with a high risk of collapse will undergo detailed inspections and precise safety diagnoses, followed by safety measures such as repairs and reinforcements.

Additionally, safety inspections in preparation for the rainy season following the thawing season will focus again on follow-up measures based on the thawing season inspection results and the status of safety management. The inspection results, follow-up plans, and the real-name registration of safety inspectors will be continuously managed through the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Steep Slope Information Management System (NDMS) to monitor risk factors.

Kim Han-young, President of the Korea Rail Network Authority, said, "The thawing season is a period when accidents on steep slopes occur intensively, so it is very important to maintain and manage areas with high risks of falling rocks and collapses. We will do our best to ensure safe train operations and prevent casualties and property damage through thorough safety inspections."