14 Railway Operators Nationwide Form Station Operations Council to Enhance Passenger Safety and Service

Led by Seoul Metro
Discussions on Lithium Battery Entry and Response to Illegal Protests

Seoul Metro announced on January 13 that it has formed a "Station Operations Council" by bringing together 14 urban and metropolitan railway operators nationwide. The purpose is to discuss station operation issues collectively to enhance passenger safety and service quality.

Fourteen railway companies nationwide participating in the railway labor council. Provided by Seoul Metro.

Previously, there was a "Council of Urban Railway Operators" under the Metropolitan Transport Commission, but it did not include a station operations division directly related to passenger safety and service. In addition, Korea Railroad Corporation, private operators such as Seoul Metro Line 9 and Airport Railroad, and light rail operators were not included.

In July of last year, Seoul Metro proposed the formation of the station operations council to operators nationwide, and 14 organizations participated. These include Seoul Metro, Korea Railroad Corporation, as well as Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Daejeon, and Gwangju Transportation Corporations, Gyeonggi Transportation Corporation, Seoul Metro Line 9, Airport Railroad, Rotem SRS (Sillim Line), Gimpo Goldline SRS, and Guri Urban Corporation (Line 8 Byeollae Line), among others.

The council held two meetings, one in July last year and another in January this year, to discuss key issues. Major agenda items included restricting the entry of personal mobility devices (PMs) with lithium battery fire risks, responding to illegal protests within railway facilities, and handling unattended items left in stations.

Going forward, the council plans to hold biannual meetings and maintain online communication to develop standardized operating manuals and standardize the management of transfer stations. The goal is to unify the different station operation practices of each organization to improve the consistency of passenger service.

They will also share operational information and expertise through joint seminars and meetings. In the long term, they plan to conduct joint case studies and discussions modeled after CoMET (Community of Metros), a global council of railway operators. CoMET is led by the Transport Strategy Centre at Imperial College London and includes 45 organizations from 42 cities, such as New York, London, Paris, Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul.

Ma Haekeun, Head of the Operations Division at Seoul Metro, stated, "It has been over 50 years since the opening of Subway Line 1 in 1974, and now there are more than 20 lines and a diverse range of operators just in the Seoul metropolitan area. Through the operation of the station operations council, we aim to make subway use safer and more convenient for passengers."