Drunkard Inserts Foot Six Times into Line 2 Door... Breaks into Driver's Cabin and Causes Disturbance

Seoul Metro "Zero Tolerance Policy... Will Take a Hard Line"
Fines Up to 25 Million Won... Possibility of Imprisonment

A man in his 30s who was intoxicated and repeatedly wedged his foot in the doors of a Seoul Subway Line 2 train, disrupting its operation and even breaking into the driver's cabin, has been reported to the police.

On the 3rd, Seoul Metro announced that it had reported Mr. A, who intentionally disrupted train operations and forcibly entered the driver's cabin, to the police on charges of violating the Railroad Safety Act. According to Seoul Metro, Mr. A, a man in his mid-30s, wedged his foot six times in the closing doors between Wangsimni Station and Hanyang University Station on the Line 2 train heading from Wangsimni Station toward Ttukseom Station around 9 p.m. on the 23rd of last month, obstructing the door operation. Due to Mr. A's actions, the train operation was delayed by about three minutes. It is known that Mr. A was intoxicated.

The scene of a drunk passenger obstructing operation and forcibly entering the driver's cabin on Seoul Subway Line 2 on the 23rd of last month [Image source=Seoul Metro, Yonhap News]

Despite the crew's attempts to stop this behavior, including making announcements, Mr. A did not cease. Instead, he became dissatisfied with the announcements and forcibly entered the driver's cabin. The driver on duty physically restrained Mr. A, and only with the help of other passengers was Mr. A finally removed from the driver's cabin.

Based on the violations so far, Mr. A may be fined up to 25 million KRW. Additionally, if the ongoing investigation confirms verbal or physical assault against railroad workers, he could face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million KRW.

Seoul Metro has decided to take strong legal actions, including criminal complaints and fines, under a zero-tolerance policy against acts that disrupt subway operations or damage facilities, as in Mr. A's case. Furthermore, if damage to subway facilities is caused by clear negligence of passengers, Seoul Metro plans to not only file criminal complaints but also exercise its right to claim compensation for damages.

Seoul Metro stated, "From January 2020 to June this year, there have been a total of 108 incidents of train operation disruptions, facility damage, and elevator malfunctions caused by passengers on Seoul Subway Lines 1 through 8. We will strictly respond within the legal framework to facility damage and train operation disruptions that could lead to serious accidents, regardless of intent, to ensure the safety of all citizens."

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