Talking on the phone the whole way, then leaving the lunchbox under the seat... Inconsiderate KTX passenger

Passenger hiding lunchbox under seat after eating on KTX
"Talking on the phone the whole way... still causing trouble even when getting off"

A story about a passenger who ate a lunchbox on a KTX train traveling from Seoul to Gangneung and left without cleaning up afterward has sparked controversy.

A passenger eating a lunchbox on the train and leaving without cleaning up.
[Photo by Online Community]

On the 18th, a post titled "KTX Passenger from Seoul Station to Gangneung" was uploaded on an online community, drawing attention. The author, Mr. A, said, "I boarded the KTX from Seoul to Gangneung around 1 p.m. today," adding, "I think it's fine to eat a lunchbox when hungry. But I don't understand why they didn't clean up the seat at all after eating."

Food stains on a fold-down tray table inside a KTX train.
Photo by Online Community

Photos posted by Mr. A show a used lunchbox wrapped in plastic and pushed into a corner under the KTX seat. Another photo shows leftover food stains on the fold-out tray table used to place the lunchbox.

Mr. A said, "Even the Chinese passengers next to me took their trash with them when they got off, so I really don't understand why this person didn't." He added, "I thought they took their trash with them, but when something fell and I checked under the seat, I found the completely eaten lunchbox left there like that." He also said, "They were on the phone the whole way and were troublesome even when getting off."

Netizens who saw the post responded with comments such as, "A beautiful person leaves a beautiful place behind, but this is really inconsiderate," "I wonder if they feel ashamed, pushing it into the corner like that," "What if the next passenger puts their clothes on the tray table?" and "Can't this be reported via CCTV?"

Previously, eating inside indoor public facilities was banned due to concerns over COVID-19 spread, but it has been allowed again since 2022. Among transportation modes, eating is permitted on railways, domestic flights, and intercity, express, and charter buses.

However, debates about whether eating should be allowed on transportation continue actively. Due to the nature of enclosed spaces with many passengers, disputes related to food consumption persist. On the 7th, a story surfaced about male and female university students eating pretzels and fried food in the KTX aisle, causing discomfort to other passengers and sparking public outrage. In 2021, a conflict arose between a woman eating a hamburger and other passengers on a KTX departing from Dongdaegu Station.

On transportation, it is necessary to consume simple food and drinks quickly and to ventilate regularly to create a safe eating environment. If any inconvenience occurs on the train, passengers can connect to the Korail app and press the 'Service Call' button to summon train staff for smoother problem resolution. Alternatively, using the app 'Railway Crime Report' to report inconveniences can help resolve issues quickly.

■ Prohibited Acts on Passenger Trains

1. Do not enter passenger-restricted areas without legitimate reasons.
- Prohibited from entering the driver's cabin, engine room, generator room, and broadcasting room.
- Violators may be fined up to 5 million KRW.
2. Do not operate devices or mechanisms of railway vehicles, such as pressing emergency stop buttons or opening passenger doors, without legitimate reasons.
- Violators may face imprisonment up to 2 years or fines up to 20 million KRW.
3. Do not throw objects outside the passenger train that may endanger people outside.
- Violators may be fined up to 5 million KRW.
4. Smoking is prohibited inside passenger trains.
- Smoking is banned not only on passenger trains but also inside stations.
- Violators may be fined up to 1 million KRW.
5. Acts causing sexual humiliation to railway workers or passengers are prohibited.
- Violators may be fined up to 5 million KRW.
6. Drinking alcohol or taking drugs and causing harm to others is prohibited.
- Violators may face imprisonment up to 1 year or fines up to 10 million KRW.
7. Carrying animals or plants that may harm passengers without safety measures on passenger trains is prohibited.
- Violators may be fined up to 500,000 KRW.
8. Persons with legally designated infectious diseases who pose a risk of transmission are prohibited from boarding passenger trains without railway staff permission.
- Violators may be fined up to 500,000 KRW.
9. Soliciting donations, selling, distributing goods, giving speeches, or making requests to passengers without railway staff permission causing inconvenience is prohibited.
- Violators may be fined up to 500,000 KRW.

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