3,516 Crimes Occurred in Seoul Subway Last Year
Over the past three years, the subway station in Seoul with the highest number of sex crimes was found to be Goseok Terminal Station. The station with the most theft incidents was Gangnam Station.
According to data submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to the office of Yang Bu-nam, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, from 2021 to July this year, the subway station with the highest number of sex crime cases in Seoul was Goseok Terminal Station (141 cases). This was followed by Sadang (124 cases), Hongdae Ipgu (118 cases), Gangnam (117 cases), Yeouido (37 cases), Sindorim (77 cases), Dangsan (65 cases), Gyodae (44 cases), Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (43 cases), and Hapjeong (40 cases) stations.
By year, the number of cases increased from 972 in 2021 to 1,218 in 2022, and 1,230 in 2023. In 2021 and 2022, Goseok Terminal had the most sex crimes, while in 2023 and 2024 (January to July), Hongdae Ipgu recorded the highest number. Geondae Ipgu and Jongno 3-ga entered the top 10 stations for the first time this year.
Over the three years, the subway station with the most theft incidents was Gangnam Station (119 cases). This was followed by Jongno 3-ga (87 cases), Sadang (84 cases), Goseok Terminal (80 cases), Sinnonhyeon (73 cases), Dangsan (51 cases), Jamsil (48 cases), Hapjeong (43 cases), Seoul (38 cases), and Gongdeok (33 cases) stations.
Crimes involving misappropriation of others' property, such as unauthorized use or embezzlement, occurred most frequently at Gangnam (98 cases), Sadang (96 cases), and Geondae Ipgu (90 cases). Geondae Ipgu had the highest number of such crimes consecutively in 2022 and 2023.
Last year, a total of 3,516 crimes occurred in the Seoul subway, an increase of about 4% from 3,378 cases in 2022. The most common type of crime was misappropriation of others' property with 1,408 cases, followed closely by sex crimes with 1,230 cases.
Assemblyman Yang Bu-nam stated, "The subway is a space where citizens should feel safe using every day," and pointed out, "Measures to respond to crimes should be devised for stations with large crowds such as Goseok Terminal and Hongdae Ipgu."
'112 Direct Line' Emergency Bells at Seoul Subway Stations
Seoul Metro recently installed 112 direct line emergency bells in subway stations on lines 1 through 8 to prepare for various accidents and crimes occurring in stations. A total of 595 emergency bells were installed in women's restrooms, nursing rooms, and customer safety offices (i-Centers) across 271 stations on lines 1 to 8. Four stations on the Hanam Line will have the bells installed later. Pressing the newly installed emergency bell automatically reports the incident to the 112 comprehensive control center with one-touch activation. Two-way communication is possible, and the real-time location of the call is transmitted.
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