152,540 Lost Items Reported in the Subway
Wallets Are the Most Frequently Lost Items
56.8% of All Lost Items Returned to Their Owners
Lost items in the Seoul subway have increased in number and become more diverse in type.
Seoul Metro announced on the 27th that the number of lost items reported in the Seoul subway last year was 152,540, a 4% increase from the previous year (146,944).
On average, about 418 lost items are reported daily, meaning that one out of every 61 citizens loses something in the subway. The station with the most lost items reported was Bulamsan Station (formerly Danggogae Station) on Line 4, the terminal station, with 7,391 cases. This was followed by Banghwa Station on Line 5 with 5,249 cases, and Ogeum Station on Line 3 with 4,345 cases.
The metro explained that since staff check trains before they enter the vehicle depot, lost items are usually found most frequently at terminal stations. The amount of cash found among lost items was 569.5 million KRW. Of this, 439.5 million KRW was claimed by owners, and the remaining 130 million KRW was handed over to the police.
From 2020 to last year, wallets were the most frequently reported lost items, accounting for 23.7% of the total. This was followed by clothing at 15.3%, mobile phones at 13.8%, bags at 13.2%, and valuables at 5.8%.
Among all lost items, 56.8% were reclaimed by their owners. The remaining 27.9% were transferred to the police, and 15.3% are still in storage.
Recently, due to the 'Baekku' (bag decorating) craze among the MZ (Millennial + Z) generation, the loss of doll keychains has increased. The metro explained that these are being reported so frequently at the lost and found center that they require separate storage.
Unexpected and unusual lost items have also been found. There was a case where a reptile was reported while still in its carrier, and mannequin heads and barber shop signboards have also been reported as lost items, the metro said.
If you want to find a lost item, you can visit the National Police Agency’s lost property portal site 'lost112' and search by date and item type. If your lost item is listed, you must bring identification and visit the station or lost and found center where the item is stored.
The metro also operates a 'Storage Locker Delivery Service' that allows people to retrieve lost items anytime during subway operating hours. This system sends the locker location and password to the owner, who only needs to pay the storage fee to retrieve the item. This service is useful if you cannot visit the lost and found center during its business hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Baekho, President of Seoul Metro, stated that the management system will be thoroughly maintained to ensure that important lost items are returned to their owners. He added, "Some items, such as clothing, will be donated to welfare organizations after a certain period."
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