Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheolwoo Requests Standardization from "Cheongdo Train Accident" to "Mugunghwa-ho Train Accident"

To Prevent Damage to Regional Image
Unified Application in Official Documents and Media Materials

On the morning of the 21st, Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, stated during an executive meeting at the provincial government office, "If this incident is referred to as the 'Cheongdo Train Accident,' there are concerns that it could negatively impact the overall image of the Cheongdo region." He added, "To ensure accurate identification of the incident and to protect the region's reputation, we will standardize the official name as the 'Mugunghwa-ho Train Accident.'"

Accordingly, Gyeongbuk Province has issued guidelines instructing that all documents-including official requests to central government ministries and related agencies for name changes, cooperation letters to local administrative bodies and affiliated organizations, media reports and press releases, and all materials provided to the press-should refer to the incident as the "Mugunghwa-ho Train Accident."

Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of Gyeongbuk

An official from Gyeongbuk Province explained, "If the location of the incident is referred to by a specific regional name, it could have long-term negative repercussions on the local economy and residents' lives," adding, "This is an unavoidable administrative measure to ensure accurate communication of the incident and to protect the region's reputation."

In fact, this accident involved a Mugunghwa-ho train operating on the Gyeongbu Line striking seven workers who were working near the railway, making the train itself the central factor in the safety incident. However, concerns have been raised that some media reports and social media posts have spread negative perceptions about the entire region by emphasizing the location where the accident occurred.

Gyeongbuk Province stated that, in making this decision to change the official name, it directly referenced the case of the "12·29 Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster" announced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on January 10.

At that time, an aircraft accident at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do was initially referred to as the "Muan Airport Disaster," but following opposition from the local community, the Ministry officially designated the name as the "Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster."

During an official briefing, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "A name that puts the accident location at the forefront can cause misunderstandings about the region," and clarified, "The official name is '12·29 Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster,' and this will be applied to all materials." In fact, a representative of the bereaved families who attended the briefing also requested, "There is confusion because people use different names; please use the official name."

Governor Lee Cheolwoo also referenced this case, emphasizing, "For local communities, the image left by the name and terminology used after an incident can cause greater harm than the incident itself."

In line with this, Gyeongbuk Province plans to implement unified guidelines for the official name, request name changes for the incident from central government ministries and related agencies, require the use of the "Mugunghwa-ho Train Accident" designation in all official documents, press releases, and outgoing correspondence from the provincial government, send official letters requesting the use of this name to related organizations, media outlets, Cheongdo County, and its affiliated institutions, update internal and external communication systems, and revise existing labels on the website, social media, and press release archives.

Gyeongbuk Province also plans to continue establishing institutional response systems to minimize the impact on local communities and promote the use of fact-based, fair names in the event of similar incidents in the future.

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