8 Injured in Yokjido Monorail 'Fall Accident'... 2 People from Operator and Construction Company Booked

The site of the monorail accident in Yokjido, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongnam. [Image source=Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Se-ryeong] Two individuals related to the operator and the construction company of the tourist monorail on Yokjido Island in Tongyeong City, Gyeongnam, where eight tourists were seriously injured in a derailment accident last year, have been booked.

On the 9th, the Tongyeong Police Station announced that they had criminally booked the team leader in charge at the operator, Tongyeong Tourism Development Corporation, and the team leader responsible for after-service at the construction company on charges of professional negligence causing injury.

The Yokjido monorail is a circular facility with a total length of 2 km installed on the main island of Yokjido, with an investment of 11.7 billion KRW. Tongyeong Tourism Development Corporation has been operating it since December 2019.

On November 28th last year, around 2 p.m., the monorail derailed and fell 4 to 5 meters while entering the lower platform with passengers on board.

As a result of this accident, eight male and female tourists in their 50s to 70s were injured and transported to the hospital, and the monorail operation was suspended indefinitely.

At the time, the National Forensic Service reported that the direct cause of the derailment was a mechanical defect in the monorail vehicle, and broken bearings with steel balls were found during the on-site investigation.

Bearings support the load and reduce friction between the vehicle and the rail, guiding the wheels to roll. The National Forensic Service judged that due to the damaged bearing, the vehicle sank, and the gear spacing widened, causing the accident.

The police plan to complete the investigation by September and send the case to the prosecution.

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