Seoul Metro Dust Reduction (Dust Collector) Construction to Fully Commence from Next Year

Seoul Metro to Complete Design by November, Sign Contract with Litco by Year-End, and Start Full-Scale Project Next Year; Plan to Reduce Subway Fine Dust by 50% by 2022

Kim Sang-beom, President of Seoul Metro (right), is visiting Gunja Vehicle Depot and having a conversation with officials.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The installation work of fine dust reduction devices (dust collectors) in the Seoul subway is set to begin in earnest.

According to Seoul Metro (President Kim Sang-beom) on the 22nd, Seoul City will accelerate the installation of fine dust dust collectors in subway tunnels in accordance with its plan to reduce subway fine dust by 50% by 2022.

The corporation plans to complete the design by next month, place orders, finalize contracts with the selected company, Ritco, by the end of the year, and fully launch the project starting next year.

In a phone interview, Team Leader Hwang of the corporation said, “After selecting companies for the installation of fine dust dust collectors in subway tunnels, the companies that were eliminated raised objections, leading to an audit by Seoul City. The audit found no issues, and lawsuits were acquitted up to the second trial, so we plan to proceed with the project in earnest.”

The two-way dust collector project (improving dust collection efficiency of tunnel ventilation facilities) involves a total budget of 60 billion KRW, including 18 billion KRW in national funds and 42 billion KRW in city funds, from December last year to December 2022. It aims to install fine dust reduction devices inside ventilation shafts to reduce fine dust in subway main lines (tunnels).

This year’s budget is 30 billion KRW, and next year’s is also 30 billion KRW. So far this year, pilot projects have been conducted at 19 subway tunnel locations, including Mokdong Station, Seodaemun Station, and Beotigogae Station, until last month.

According to the original plan, devices should be installed at 45 locations this year with an expenditure of 21 billion KRW, but due to allegations of preferential treatment leading to audits, the corporation has only spent 9 billion KRW and has not yet placed orders or signed contracts.

In particular, during a recent National Assembly audit, Kim Sang-hoon, a member of the People Power Party, raised suspicions that Seoul Metro officials delayed orders to intervene in interests. There were claims that former executives of the corporation were employed through loopholes in companies forming consortia with eliminated bidders to conduct lobbying.

A key official of the corporation explained, “Due to various circumstances, the project has been delayed, but there is no other intention.”

A senior executive of Ritco said, “Since being selected on April 28 this year, no progress has been made, causing significant damage to us as a small and medium-sized enterprise in preparing materials and so forth.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.