Won Hee-ryong's Press Conference Immediately After Returning Home: "Would I Have Done This If My Family Had Been Onboard?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, immediately after returning from a business trip to Saudi Arabia, headed to Yeongdeungpo Station where the Mugunghwa train derailment accident occurred and held a meeting on railway safety measures. Minister Won emphasized that he would completely reform Korail through special inspections and audits.

The Railway Union held a rally and demanded an apology from Minister Won, stating that a meeting without an apology is merely a show of administrative formality.

On the night of the 9th at 10 p.m., Minister Won received a report on the circumstances of the death of a railway worker in his 30s at Obong Station and the Mugunghwa train derailment accident at Yeongdeungpo Station, and held a meeting with on-site staff.

Minister Won said, "I pray for the repose of the deceased and extend my condolences to the bereaved families," adding, "It is only two days since the emergency railway safety countermeasure meeting was held, and a series of accidents have occurred, leaving me with nothing but a devastated and sorrowful heart."

At around 8:20 p.m. on the 5th, in Obong Station, Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, Korail employee A (33), who was working related to a freight train, was struck by a train and died. This was two days after the railway safety emergency countermeasure meeting held on the 3rd, where it was announced that the railway safety system would be reviewed from scratch.

Additionally, on the afternoon of the 6th, a Mugunghwa train entering Yeongdeungpo Station derailed, injuring about 30 people, and some southbound services were delayed, causing inconvenience to passengers. This year alone, there have been three railway derailment accidents?one each involving KTX, SRT, and Mugunghwa trains?and four Korail employees have lost their lives during work.

Korail President Na Hee-seung was booked in March this year on charges of violating the Serious Accident Punishment Act following an accident, but industrial accident deaths have continued repeatedly since then.

Regarding the Mugunghwa train derailment accident, Minister Won said, "According to the initial investigation results by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, the switch rail at the accident site was damaged before the arrival of the derailed train," and criticized, "It is said that even the very basic task of track maintenance was not properly performed. Would I have done this if it were my family on board?"

Minister Won emphasized that Korail would be completely reformed through special inspections and audits, stating, "I will change everything from A to Z."

In this regard, the Public Transport Union commented, "This is already the fourth industrial accident death at Korail this year. Each time, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has demanded fundamental countermeasures, but nothing has changed on the ground," adding, "Even now, while the minister is holding a showy meeting, railway workers across the country are struggling with manpower shortages and risking their lives for the safety of trains and citizens."

The Public Transport Union also stated, "Regarding the Yeongdeungpo Station Mugunghwa train derailment accident, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board issued an urgent safety recommendation, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, through a press release, presumed that 'there was insufficient management during Korail's maintenance process,' once again stigmatizing railway workers," and rebutted, "Before the exact cause of the accident is revealed, the Ministry's remarks based on speculation only hinder the investigation of the truth of the accident."

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