Hygiene management inside trains, including armrests and seats of railway vehicles, is expected to be strengthened.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) announced on the 2nd that it recommended the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Railroad Corporation to establish improvement measures by clarifying contamination inspection standards for railway vehicles and actively responding to public requests for cleanliness improvement.
Analysis of complaints received through the ACRC's online petition system revealed that many requests for strengthening hygiene management of railway vehicles have been submitted. Major complaints include "severe contamination of armrest seats on both sides of the train," "disclosure of materials regarding hygiene management methods and inspection standards for facilities including seats," and "inspection and improvement of environments harmful to passengers' health."
Currently, Korea Railroad Corporation, which manages the hygiene environment of railway vehicles, implements hygiene management according to internal regulations such as the "Railway Vehicle Cleaning Work Standards." For high-speed vehicles, continuous and daily repetitive cleaning is conducted, vacuum cleaning of seats and carpets is performed every 30 to 35 days, and once a year, a professional company is commissioned to carry out special cleaning of seat covers and quality confirmation sample tests for contamination such as E. coli, mites, and others.
Accordingly, the ACRC recommended the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Railroad Corporation to establish "transparent and clear contamination inspection standards" and "strengthen hygiene management of railway vehicles," which are frequent subjects of public complaints. In particular, it urged reviewing measures such as shortening cleaning cycles for seat covers, which passengers frequently touch and are easily contaminated, and the relevant institutions agreed to make efforts for improvement.
Gwon Geun-sang, Director of the Policy Bureau for Improvement at the ACRC, said, "We will do our best to improve inconveniences related to public transportation frequently used by citizens and foreigners in their daily lives and travels."
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