Criticism Over the Appointment Chaos of Seoul Metro Technology Headquarters Chief... Woo Hyung-chan, Chair of Seoul City Council Transportation Committee, 'Reprimands'

Subway Line 4 Gireum Station Dangogae-bound Train Breakdown on the Morning of the 7th... Transportation Committee Chair Woo Hyeong-chan Questions Seoul Metro's Safety Without a Safety Director... Seoul Metro Criticized for Vacancy in Safety Management Director Position and Reassignment of Technical Director

Meanwhile, at the Transportation Committee meeting on the 29th of last month, Vice Chairman Lee Eun-joo and others reportedly decided to strongly recommend reinstating the Safety Management Headquarters Director, who was selected through a public recruitment process, to their original position and appointing the top candidate for the Technical Headquarters Director.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The Seoul Transportation Corporation has drawn attention as Woo Hyung-chan, chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Transportation Committee, raised concerns over the corporation's chaotic situation, where it selected a candidate for the Technical Headquarters Director through a public recruitment process but failed to appoint them, instead issuing an acting appointment for the Safety Management Headquarters Director.

The Seoul Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee (Chairman Woo Hyung-chan, photo, Democratic Party, Yangcheon 3) expressed strong regret over the personnel move by the Seoul Transportation Corporation, which reassigned the current Safety Management Headquarters Director to the Technical Headquarters Director position and appointed an acting director for the Safety Management Headquarters.

Initially, the Seoul Transportation Corporation planned to form an executive recommendation committee to appoint the Vehicle Headquarters Director and Technical Headquarters Director, both vacant due to term expiration, by selecting an executive director through a public recruitment process.

However, the Seoul Transportation Corporation appointed only the Vehicle Headquarters Director and did not appoint the Technical Headquarters Director. Instead, it reassigned the current Safety Management Headquarters Director, who had been in office for only four months, to the Technical Headquarters Director position and appointed an acting director for the Safety Management Headquarters. This incomprehensible personnel decision was criticized as an attempt to nullify the executive recommendation committee's decision.

The Transportation Committee members emphasized that the Safety Management Headquarters plays a central role in managing and supervising safe operations across all sections of lines 1 to 8, in line with the Seoul Transportation Corporation's top management goal of "safety" established during the 2017 merger of the two corporations.

The Safety Management Headquarters Director is the most senior among the six headquarters directors within the Seoul Transportation Corporation and holds the most important position responsible for thoroughly managing and supervising subway safety operations to prevent incidents like the screen door accidents that occurred at Gangnam Station, Guui Station, and Gimpo Airport Station in the past.

Nevertheless, leaving the Safety Management Headquarters Director position vacant, which is the head of subway safety management, raises concerns that the Seoul Transportation Corporation might be neglecting citizen safety in subway operations. It was stated that careful consideration should be given as to whether reassigning the Safety Management Headquarters Director, who has been in office for only four months, is appropriate for the safe operation of the Seoul subway and whether the personnel decision considered its potential impact.

Meanwhile, on the morning of the 7th, attention was drawn to a malfunction of the upper track vehicle at Gireum Station. A train bound for Danggogae on Line 4's upper track at Gireum Station experienced a malfunction, but it was reported that related staff promptly responded and restored the situation.

Transportation Committee Chairman Woo Hyung-chan pointed out, "The Safety Management Headquarters Director of the Seoul Transportation Corporation holds a grave responsibility for the safe operation of the Seoul subway." He added, "If the Technical Headquarters Director was important enough to have the Safety Management Headquarters Director serve as acting director, the corporation should have carefully considered not appointing the Technical Headquarters Director. It is regrettable that this was not the case."

Meanwhile, at the Seoul Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee meeting held on the 29th of last month, Vice Chairman Lee Eun-joo and others strongly demanded that the Safety Management Headquarters Director, selected through a public recruitment process four months ago, be reinstated to their original position and that the top candidate for the Technical Headquarters Director, selected through last month's public recruitment, be appointed.

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