Korail and Korea Rail Network Authority: 64 Deaths and 1,548 Injuries Over 10 Years

One Death Every Two Months
Increasing Accident Rate at Korea Rail Network Authority

Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Over the past decade, 64 people have died and 1,548 have been injured due to industrial accidents at Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and the Korea Rail Network Authority.

According to the 'Industrial Accident Occurrence Status' data submitted by KORAIL and the Korea Rail Network Authority to Jin Seong-jun, a member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, this year KORAIL reported 1 death and 50 injuries, while the Korea Rail Network Authority reported 1 death and 38 injuries.

In the past 10 years, the total number of deaths at KORAIL and the Korea Rail Network Authority reached 64, averaging one fatal accident every two months. During this period, the number of injuries was recorded at 1,548.

Looking at KORAIL's industrial accident occurrence status over the past five years: ▲2016 - 3 deaths, 58 injuries ▲2017 - 5 deaths, 41 injuries ▲2018 - 1 death, 66 injuries ▲2019 - 1 death, 76 injuries ▲2020 - 0 deaths, 65 injuries ▲2021 - 1 death, 50 injuries.

The Korea Rail Network Authority reported: ▲2016 - 5 deaths, 88 injuries ▲2017 - 8 deaths, 78 injuries ▲2018 - 2 deaths, 97 injuries ▲2019 - 3 deaths, 127 injuries ▲2020 - 4 deaths, 76 injuries ▲2021 - 1 death, 38 injuries.

In the case of KORAIL, the number of deaths has decreased to one or fewer since 2018, but the number of injury accidents has slightly increased over the past two to three years.

The Korea Rail Network Authority also saw a decrease in deaths since 2018, but the total number of accidents including injuries and the accident rate have increased.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance's '2020 Public Institution Safety Management Grading System' results, among 98 public institutions, KORAIL received a grade of 4-1, classified as 'Caution,' while the Korea Rail Network Authority received a grade of 4-2, classified as 'Insufficient.'

According to a research report on the industrial accident status of KORAIL and six major metropolitan subway corporations, conducted by the office of Lee Eun-ju of the Justice Party and the National Railway and Subway Labor Union Council, major occupational diseases in railroad and subway corporations included mental disorders (14.8%), cerebrovascular diseases (13.0%), and occupational cancers (9.3%), all higher than the domestic industry average.

Assemblyman Jin Seong-jun emphasized, "To reduce industrial accidents, investment in safety should be increased, and tailored health management should be promoted by conducting job-specific 'health impact assessments' for railroad corporation workers."

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