20 Train Derailment Accidents Last Year, Damage Amounting to 3.2 Billion KRW... Highest in 5 Years [2024 National Audit]

Ahn Tae-jun, Member of the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party
'Recent 5-Year Annual Train Derailment Accident Status' Reviewed

Over the past five years, a total of 50 derailment accidents have occurred nationwide, with 20 of them taking place last year. In particular, recently, accidents that require significantly higher damage costs and longer recovery times compared to previous years have continued to occur, causing increased inconvenience to passengers.

According to data on the "Annual Train Derailment Accident Status in the Last Five Years" submitted by Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) to Ahn Tae-jun, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, a total of 50 derailment accidents occurred from 2020 to the end of August 2024. Among them, 15 derailments involved passenger trains, and 35 involved vehicle derailments.

By year, there were 2 cases in 2020, 9 in 2021, 15 in 2022, and 20 in 2023, with 4 cases occurring between January and August this year. The damage costs from train derailments have also steadily increased. They were 162.4 million KRW in 2020, 74.8 million KRW in 2021, 1.9337 billion KRW in 2022, and 3.2104 billion KRW in 2023, showing a significant rise in the last two years.

In particular, the damage cost was highest at 2.732 billion KRW when a returning train derailed due to soil inflow on the tracks caused by a landslide while passing through the Maekpo Tunnel on the Gyeongbu Line in July last year. In January 2022, the 23rd KTX Sancheon train derailed due to wheel damage caused by a manufacturing defect while operating on the Gyeongbu Line, resulting in damage costs of 1.4487 billion KRW.

The time required for recovery after derailment accidents has also been increasing, with 17.7 hours in 2020, 14.3 hours in 2021, 40.1 hours in 2022, and 92.9 hours in 2023. Regarding casualties, in November 2022, 12 people including passengers were injured when the 1567 Mugunghwa train derailed while passing a turnout inside Yeongdeungpo Station on the Gyeongbu Line, and one train driver was injured during the landslide accident in July last year.

Assemblyman Ahn Tae-jun emphasized, "Since railway accidents can lead to significant human and material damage, thorough safety inspections and countermeasures must be implemented."