On August 19, Democratic Party leader Jung Cheongrae commented on the train accident that occurred in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, stating, "In my view, this is a clear case of human error," and pledged to do his utmost to establish necessary countermeasures.
Before attending an inspection of the preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit at Yukbuchon in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Jung spoke with reporters about the Mugunghwa train accident that took place earlier that morning. He said, "As the ruling party, we will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident, and if there is anything we can do to assist those who have passed away or were injured, we will provide support."
Earlier, at around 10:52 a.m., a Mugunghwa train traveling between Namseonghyeon and Cheongdo stations struck seven workers who were conducting a safety inspection on the Gyeongbu Line tracks in Cheongdo County, North Gyeongsang Province, resulting in two fatalities.
Jung explained, "I have urgently instructed the local party chair to look into the situation, and the liaison office chief is currently on site. We are in the process of assessing the situation."
He continued, "I offer my condolences to those who lost their lives, and I wish a swift recovery to those injured. Recently, I appointed Assemblyman Yoon Geonyoung, who serves as the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee secretary, as the party's Disaster Response Committee chairman. I will urgently instruct him to assess the situation and implement necessary measures."
Jung also posted on Facebook, stating, "A tragic and serious accident has occurred," and emphasized, "We will thoroughly identify the cause of the accident and do our utmost in post-accident measures."
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