Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: "All-out Effort to Ensure Public Safety and Transportation Convenience in Preparation for Railroad Strike"

Government Joint Transport Measures Review in Preparation for Railroad Strike

On the afternoon of the 4th, Park Sang-woo, Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, chaired a meeting to review transportation measures in preparation for a potential railway strike, together with related agencies including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Employment and Labor, National Police Agency, Seoul City, Incheon City, Gyeonggi Province, and Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL).

Minister Park stated, “This is a time when unpredictable traffic congestion is a concern due to the winter cold wave and heavy snowfall,” adding, “If a strike occurs, the damage will directly affect all citizens.” He urged, “I ask the KORAIL labor and management to approach the negotiations responsibly and reach an agreement until the very end.”

Minister Park emphasized, “Even if negotiations break down and the railway union proceeds with a strike, the safety of the citizens using the railway is the top priority,” and requested, “Since congestion is expected to worsen during commuting hours compared to usual, thorough congestion management at major hub stations is essential.”

He also instructed, “Please pay special attention to safety management for railway facilities, vehicles, and the many railway workers who quietly perform essential maintenance duties.”

Minister Park said, “During the strike period, we will focus on deploying substitute personnel on heavily used KTX trains and metropolitan trains during commuting hours. Additionally, to meet the transportation demand caused by reduced train operations, we will maximize the use of all available alternative transportation means such as express and intercity buses, taxis, and domestic flights to minimize inconvenience to the public.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to operate a government joint transportation countermeasures headquarters 24 hours a day from the 4th until the end of the strike, working with related agencies, local governments, and others to fully ensure public safety and transportation convenience.