Derailment and protests cause chaos on subway commute... Subway union announces strike warning

On the morning of the 7th, police are checking passengers boarding at the platform of Guro Station on Seoul Subway Line 1.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] On the afternoon of the 6th, confusion arose in various subway locations on the 7th due to the Mugunghwa train derailment accident and protests by the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Disability Discrimination (Jeonjangyeon).

According to Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail), as of the morning of that day, operation on the Seoul Subway Line 1 Gyeongin Line express train section between Guro Station and Yongsan Station was suspended. Express trains are operating normally from Dongincheon to Guro. Because of this, congestion occurred as crowds gathered at Guro Station to transfer from express to local trains or passengers departing from Suwon or Gwangmyeong tried to transfer. Delays also occurred on other sections of Seoul Subway Line 1 and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which is connected to Line 1 tracks. Korail expects restoration work to be completed after 4 p.m. today.

Jeonjangyeon gathered at the Samgakji Station platform on Subway Line 4 in the morning and held a press conference titled “Irresponsible government, silent power of the people. Respond to the disability rights budget and rights legislation. Riding the subway for the 42nd to 46th morning commutes” and resumed subway protests around 8 a.m. Jeonjangyeon had suspended protests during the national mourning period related to the Itaewon tragedy but resumed them on this day. About 40 Jeonjangyeon members, including 15 disabled persons, participated in the protest. They wore placards around their necks saying “We want a world where both disabled and non-disabled people are safe,” moved from Samgakji Station to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, transferred to Line 5 to Yeouido Station, then transferred again to Line 9 to the National Assembly Station. The subway lines where they protested experienced delays. Jeonjangyeon plans to continue subway boarding protests from this day until the 11th.

Jeonjangyeon's subway protest scene [Image source=Yonhap News]

Strikes by the two major Seoul subway unions were also announced. The two major unions of Seoul Metro held a press conference in the morning and said, “Starting from the 16th, we will begin a lawful struggle for two-person safety inspections, and if the Seoul city government or the central government does not present manpower and safety measures, we will launch a general strike from the 30th.”

In the strike approval vote held from the 1st to the 4th, the general strike was approved with a 79.7% approval rate of total voters (70.8% of total members). Out of 13,831 total union members, 12,292 voted, and 9,793 voted in favor.

The two major unions, Seoul Metro Union and the Integrated Union, formed a joint union this year and conducted next year’s wage collective bargaining with management. When management proposed on October 4th to reduce 1,539 personnel, the unions declared a breakdown of negotiations on the 6th and began dispute procedures such as applying for mediation at the Seoul Regional Labor Relations Commission. Previously, Seoul Metro union strikes occurred in 2016.

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