'SRT Derailment Accident' Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Forms 'Rail Disaster Situation Room'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 1st that it has formed a railway disaster response team to address the derailment accident of the SRT train bound for Suseo near Daejeon Jochajang Station.

Railway safety inspectors, railway police, and an accident investigation team have been dispatched to the site to conduct an investigation, and Deputy Minister Eom Myung-so of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was also urgently sent to the scene.

The derailment has caused delays in train operations on the Gyeongbu High-Speed Line. Currently, KTX trains are being rerouted via the existing line from Daejeon Station to Seoul Station, while SRT trains are detouring by descending to the down high-speed line near Daejeon Station and then transferring to the up high-speed line.

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong monitored the situation via a video conference from Seoul and ordered a swift restoration. A ministry official stated, "We are making efforts to minimize train operation delays," adding, "We plan to complete the restoration by tonight so that normal operations can resume from the first train tomorrow." The ministry intends to determine the exact cause of the accident through an on-site investigation.

At around 3:21 p.m. on the same day, SRT train No. 338 bound for Suseo from Busan derailed near Daejeon Jochajang Station, injuring seven people who are currently receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.

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