Busan Receives Grade A in Railway Safety Management, While Seoul Gets Grade C

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority announced on May 22 the results of last year’s railway safety management level assessment for 20 railway operating organizations and 4 railway facility management organizations. The average score for the 20 operating organizations was 87.11 points, while the 4 facility management organizations received an average of 85.23 points. Both groups saw increases compared to a year earlier, rising by 1.1 points and 4.34 points respectively, and maintained a “Good” (Grade B) rating.

Busan Transportation Corporation received the highest score. In addition, Daegu, Incheon, and Daejeon Transportation Corporations, Shinbundang Line Co., Ltd., and Airport Railroad Co., Ltd. were awarded an “Excellent” (Grade A) rating. Busan Transportation Corporation reported no accidents last year. The level of safety awareness among its employees was also found to be high. All other organizations that received an A grade, except for Airport Railroad Co., Ltd., also achieved zero accidents. Incheon Transportation Corporation, Shinbundang Line Co., Ltd., and Airport Railroad Co., Ltd. received perfect scores in the safety investment category by increasing and actively executing their safety budgets.

On the 23rd of last month, Busan City, Busan Transportation Corporation, Sasang District, and other related organizations jointly conducted a sinkhole inspection at the Sasang~Hadan Line construction site of the urban railway in Sasang District. Officials from Busan City and related organizations are examining the facilities inside the construction site. Photo by Yonhap News.

Seoul Metro and Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit received a “Fair” (Grade C) rating. Seoul Metro saw an increase in safety accidents and casualties, while Uijeongbu Light Rail Transit experienced more operational disruptions and railway traffic accidents. Both organizations have decided to receive safety consulting, which will provide them with examples of best practices from other organizations as well as areas that need improvement.

The railway safety management level assessment is a system introduced in 2018 to encourage voluntary safety management by railway organizations. Jung Kyungjeong, Director of Railway Safety Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “According to the assessment results, accident indicators and safety investment scores exceeded 90% of the perfect score on average, demonstrating the efforts of railway organizations to improve safety. However, the safety management score, which evaluates employees’ safety awareness and related factors, remained at about 75% of the perfect score, indicating that there is still considerable room for improvement.”