"Can't Breathe" Hellish Commute on Crowded Subway, Claustrophobia Becomes Everyday Reality

Train delays due to breakdowns and heavy snow
Risk of safety accidents if crowding occurs

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Joo-hee] In the wake of the Itaewon tragedy, anxiety about crowd congestion accidents is higher than ever. Especially when using public transportation facilities such as subways and buses, many citizens experience fear symptoms like 'difficulty breathing' when the crowd density increases. Voices are emerging that population density management and preparedness are necessary to prevent potential safety accidents.

This year, there have been multiple instances where train operations were disrupted due to accidents such as train breakdowns or weather issues like heavy rain, cold waves, and heavy snow, causing large crowds to gather inside stations or on platforms. On the morning of the 21st, when heavy snow fell in the central region, some trains on the Gimpo Urban Railway were delayed by about 10 minutes compared to usual, causing significant inconvenience to citizens.

Train delays during the morning commute led to crowd congestion. Photos from the scene at Pungmu Station on the Gimpo Gold Line show that the platform, as well as the stairs leading outside, were packed with passengers. On that day at Gimpo Airport Station, a woman riding a crowded train was transported to the hospital due to symptoms of breathing difficulty.

Citizens using Sindorim Station. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Even if accidents like train delays do not occur, crowd congestion in public transportation is common. The capacity of one train car is 160 people, and congestion is calculated based on 160 people (100%).

According to Gimpo City, the Gimpo Gold Line, which carries the stigma of being the 'most congested,' has an average congestion rate of 224% during rush hours, with a maximum congestion rate reaching 270%.

The Seoul Subway Line 9, notorious for being a 'hell train' (a subway crowded with people) during rush hours, also exceeds its proper capacity. As of the second quarter of this year, the average congestion rate of Line 9 express trains during the morning commute was 155.6%, about 1.6 times that of regular trains. Additionally, Seoul Subway Line 2 and Incheon Subway Line 2 are also known as consistently crowded lines during rush hours.

Passengers are moving on the platform of Chungmuro Station on Seoul Subway Line 4. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Continuous management of population density and improvement of citizens' awareness regarding crowding are necessary.

Professor Lee Young-joo of the Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention at the University of Seoul said, "Crowd congestion itself is not inherently dangerous, but in emergencies such as breakdowns or fires, it can lead to safety accidents, so preparedness is necessary."

Professor Lee emphasized, "There must be manuals prepared for evacuation routes and personnel deployment in emergencies, and these manuals should be practiced through training to function effectively in real situations."

She added, "Citizen awareness is also important. When crowd density is high on trains or buses, a culture of waiting for the next vehicle instead of forcing boarding needs to be established."

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