Gyeongbu High-Speed Line KTX Bound for Busan Derails... 7 Injured (Comprehensive Report 2)

7 Minor Injuries from Glass Shards and Falling Items on Shelf
KTX General Line Between Daejeon and Dongdaegu Diverted, Some Train Services Suspended
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Issues 'Caution Alert' Crisis Level... Recovery Measures Under Consideration

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A KTX-Sancheon train traveling from Seoul Station to Busan Station derailed.

According to Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on the 5th, at around 11:58 a.m., one carriage (car No. 4) of KTX-Sancheon train No. 23, which departed from Seoul Station and was heading to Busan Station, derailed near the Yeongdong Tunnel between Yeongdong and Gimcheon-Gumi. This train had departed Seoul Station at 10:30 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Busan Station at 1:13 p.m.

As a result of the accident, seven passengers sustained minor injuries due to glass shards and falling items from overhead racks; one person was transported to a nearby hospital, while the remaining six passengers returned home.

The accident is presumed to have occurred after the train collided with an unidentified object that had fallen inside the tunnel, causing the derailment during the stopping process. The exact cause will be investigated by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board in the future.

While restoring the accident site, trains on the Gyeongbu High-Speed Line (KTX, SRT) will be rerouted via the conventional line, and some trains are planned to be suspended.

KORAIL stated, "An emergency response team was immediately deployed to carry out recovery work, but it is expected to take considerable time. We will do our best for a swift recovery and safe operation."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has issued a caution alert as the crisis level and formed a situation room led by the Railway Safety Policy Officer, while KORAIL has established and is operating a regional accident response headquarters.

The Ministry dispatched six railway safety inspectors, twelve railway police officers, and seven members of the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board to the site to support accident recovery and ensure safety activities.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Noh Hyung-wook emphasized, "We must do our best to restore the accident site and minimize passenger inconvenience," adding, "Please take thorough measures, including fundamental countermeasures, to accurately identify the cause of the accident and prevent similar incidents from recurring."

Meanwhile, the Ministry plans to hold a meeting chaired by the minister to discuss accident recovery plans and ways to minimize inconvenience to users.

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