Korea Railroad Enters Emergency Transport System... "Preparing for Strike, Minimizing Public Inconvenience"

Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) will operate an emergency transportation system in response to the nationwide railway union's planned general strike.

According to Korea Railroad on the 13th, the railway union has announced a general strike from 9 a.m. on the 14th to 9 a.m. on the 18th, lasting four days.

KORAIL expects a reduction in train operations during the strike period to be inevitable. For example, metropolitan subway services are expected to operate at 75% of normal levels (with over 90% during rush hours, and 98% during the morning rush on the 14th), KTX at 68%, Saemaeul trains at 58%, and Mugunghwa trains at 63%.

Accordingly, KORAIL plans to enter an emergency transportation system during the strike period, operating a 24-hour emergency response headquarters led by the vice president and implementing comprehensive measures to respond to the strike.

First, KORAIL intends to prioritize deploying internal staff with driving experience and military personnel to operate metropolitan subway trains during commuting hours and long-distance KTX trains, aiming to secure the maximum number of train operations.

Additionally, during the general strike, operational personnel will be maintained at 14,757, including 9,795 essential maintenance staff and 4,962 substitute personnel.

This corresponds to 61.2% of the usual workforce, with substitute personnel being experienced individuals possessing train operation experience and emergency response capabilities.

All substitute train drivers will hold railway vehicle driving licenses, and personnel recruited from the military and related organizations will undergo on-site practical training before actual deployment.

For freight trains, KORAIL will deploy internal substitute drivers to maintain 27% of normal operations, focusing on transporting urgent cargo such as import-export freight and essential industrial goods.

Meanwhile, to prevent confusion among train passengers, KORAIL will continuously provide information on train usage during the strike period through the mobile app ‘KORAIL Talk,’ its website, station announcements, the Passenger Information Display System (TIDS), and onboard video devices.

Furthermore, customers who have booked tickets for trains suspended due to the strike will receive advance notifications via individual text messages (SMS) and KORAIL Talk push alerts as a preemptive measure.

In cases of ticket returns or changes during the strike period, all train cancellation fees will be waived, and tickets for suspended trains will be refunded in full automatically without requiring separate refund applications.

A KORAIL official stated, “Customers planning to use trains during the general strike period should check train operation status in advance, and if a suspension is confirmed, we ask that they use alternative transportation.”