Seoul Metro's First Top Controller, Deputy Manager Lee Jeong-ju of the 2nd Control Center

Seoul Metro Conducts 2023 First Top Controller Selection Contest... Top Controller is Deputy Manager Lee Jeong-ju
First Integrated Selection for Lines 1-4 and 5-8 Since Corporation Merger, Selected Through Theory and Oral Evaluation

Seoul Metro (President Baek Ho) announced that Lee Jeong-ju, Deputy Director of the 2nd Control Center, was selected as the Top Controller at the '2023 Best Controller Selection Competition.'

This competition was the first event held after the integration of the 1st Control Center (Lines 1-4) and the 2nd Control Center (Lines 5-8) following the merger of the corporation.

With the 50th anniversary of the Seoul subway opening approaching next year, the corporation held this competition by integrating the 1st Control Center (Lines 1-4) and the 2nd Control Center (Lines 5-8) to embody the spirit of subway unification.

Previously, the Emergency Response Smart Excellent Controller Selection Competition separately selected one top controller from each of the 1st and 2nd Control Centers.

The corporation holds the Emergency Response Smart Excellent Controller Selection Competition annually to enhance controllers' capabilities and improve their response skills during unusual situations.

The corporation conducted preliminary rounds from October 2 to October 20 for train operation control and facility control staff of the 1st and 2nd Control Centers, and finally selected one Top Controller and five Runner-up Controllers in the finals held on the 17th.

A total of 90 railway traffic controllers working at the 1st and 2nd Control Centers participated in the preliminary round, which evaluated skills such as train radio communication and temporary train schedule creation, selecting eight finalists for the final competition.

In the finals held on the 17th, as it was the first integrated event, utmost efforts were made to ensure fairness, including blind judging and excluding the highest and lowest scores during scoring.

The competition was divided into the first theoretical evaluation and the second oral evaluation. The first evaluation assessed knowledge of regulations related to control duties, such as the Railway Safety Act and Railway Traffic Control Operation Regulations, while the second evaluation examined practical skills such as response ability during unusual situations.

Lee Jeong-ju, who was selected as this year’s Top Controller, achieved outstanding results in both the theoretical and oral evaluations. Lee is a veteran controller with over 20 years of practical experience as a train driver. He said, “Being selected as Seoul Metro’s first Top Controller is especially meaningful. Going forward, I will continue to emphasize the importance of control regulations, procedures, and emergency response capabilities, and dedicate myself to work with safety as the highest value.”

The Command Tower Directing Subway Safety and On-time Operation: Controllers

Controllers monitor and control train operations to ensure safety and punctuality. They manage all matters related to train operations, including schedules for various events and holidays, weather conditions, and timetable changes, striving to maintain normal operations.

Since unexpected situations can occur anytime, the Seoul Metro Control Centers operate under constant tension 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Controllers’ skills are most crucial during emergency responses. They are responsible for assessing situations, controlling the scene, directing emergency measures, notifying relevant departments, and managing rescue train operations during accidents or unusual events.

Sim Sang-rok, Deputy Controller of the 1st Control Center and a Runner-up Controller in this year’s competition, said, “Multiple trains run simultaneously on a single track at close intervals. Controllers monitor the entire train operation from the best vantage point and maintain constant focus and tension to ensure the safety of trains running in real time.”

Park Byung-seop, Head of Safety Management at Seoul Metro, congratulated the Top Controller and the six awardees, saying, “We thank the controllers who silently work behind the scenes 24/7 throughout the year to ensure safe operations. The corporation will continue to prioritize safety and strengthen controllers’ capabilities to build a safer subway system.”

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