Flashing Light on Busan Metro Train, What Is It? ... Citizens Alarmed by 'Lightning Arrester Malfunction' Incident

by Kim Yongu

Published 13 Dec.2021 16:55(KST)

Updated 10 Aug.2025 21:05(KST)

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A video showing a flash and explosion sound occurring on Busan Metro Line 3 train was released last August. [Image source=Busan Transportation Corporation]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A video showing multiple explosions and flashes on a train on Busan Metro Line 3 in August, causing the operation to stop, has been released.

Busan Transportation Corporation announced on the 13th that it has released CCTV footage capturing the accident situation related to the train operation suspension.

According to the Transportation Corporation, on August 18 at 9:16 PM, after entering and stopping at Baesan Station on Busan Metro Line 3 in Yeonsan-dong, Yeonje-gu, Busan, a train heading toward Daejeo experienced multiple explosions accompanied by flashes.

The video captures the chaos as passengers, alarmed by the flashing lights and explosion sounds, evacuate the train. Due to this accident, train operations were suspended for about 30 minutes, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.

The CCTV footage at the time shows citizens waiting to board stepping back from the train in surprise at the loud noise, and some passengers on the train quickly evacuating toward the platform as the doors opened.

Busan Transportation Corporation confirmed that the explosions occurred six times along with the flashes.

The Transportation Corporation identified the cause of the accident as a 'surge arrester malfunction.' When an abnormal voltage occurred above the train, the surge arrester, a component that protects the train, malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to stop. During the process of the driver restarting the train, explosion sounds and flashes occurred six times consecutively.