Chairman Choi Hojung: "Thank you to those who consistently stay on site... Please take good care of citizen safety"
Choi Hojung, Chairperson of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, visited Sindorim Station on the morning of the 5th to check on the inconveniences faced by citizens due to the union strike.
The Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) National Railway Workers' Union began an indefinite general strike starting today. The Seoul Metro Labor Union also plans to go on strike from the 6th if negotiations fail.
Sindorim Station is a transfer station where Subway Lines 1 and 2 intersect, and it is usually very crowded during commuting hours. Including transfer passengers, the station serves 370,000 users daily. Lee Byungyun, Chairperson of the Transportation Committee, accompanied the site visit.
Chairperson Choi and Chairperson Lee first visited the Line 2 Customer Safety Office to receive a briefing and encourage the staff. They then inspected the stairs and platforms, checking citizen traffic and train operation frequency.
On the first day of the strike, there appeared to be no major disruptions due to the deployment of emergency trains and substitute personnel. Subway security officers and citizen safety helpers were stationed throughout the site to maintain order and safety.
Chairperson Choi stated, “Although the plan is to operate trains at 100% capacity during commuting hours even during the strike, a prolonged strike will inevitably have significant repercussions,” adding, “We will continue to monitor the situation on-site to protect citizen safety and minimize inconvenience.”
She also expressed gratitude to the on-site staff, saying, “I am always thankful to all of you who consistently serve as the feet of the citizens on the ground,” and urged, “It will be difficult, but please prioritize citizen safety and provide good guidance. The council will take good care of you.”
Chairperson Choi continues to visit sites during the regular council session to listen to the opinions of citizens and staff. She previously visited Sinyongsan Elementary School, which conducted literacy and numeracy diagnostic tests on November 6, and the Sinjeong Train Depot on November 15, followed by an inspection of the first autonomous dawn shuttle bus operation on November 26.
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