Paju City to Operate Emergency Transportation Response Situation Room from December 10 in Preparation for Railway Strike

Guidance on Using Buses Instead of the Subway
Alternative Transportation to Be Arranged if Strike Prolongs

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province announced that it will operate an emergency transportation response situation room starting December 10 to minimize inconvenience for citizens, as strikes have been announced for December 11 by the Korean Railway Workers' Union, which operates the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and KTX, and for December 12 by the Seoul Metro Workers' Union, which operates subway lines 1 through 9.

Panoramic View of Paju City Hall. Provided by Paju City

The city analyzed the railway union strike that took place over seven days from December 5 to 11, 2024, and reported that the operation rate of the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, a metropolitan railway, is expected to drop to 90% during commuting hours and 60% during normal hours compared to usual. The operation rate for KTX is projected at 66.9%, for regular trains between 58.5% and 62.4%, and for freight trains at 21.5%, indicating a significant decrease across all services.

In response, the city held an emergency countermeasure meeting presided over by Choi Byung-gap, Deputy Mayor of Paju, to comprehensively discuss issues such as identifying factors of inconvenience for citizens due to reduced rail service, securing alternative transportation options, and developing public communication strategies to address the strike.

Additionally, the city will form an emergency response team, including a general countermeasure group led by the Director of the Road Traffic Bureau and a transportation support group, and operate the emergency transportation response situation room from December 10. During the strike period, the city plans to encourage taxi operations and strengthen public communication by informing citizens about alternative transportation such as buses through various media channels to minimize inconvenience and congestion. Furthermore, if the strike becomes prolonged or intensifies, the city will arrange and operate additional alternative transportation options.

Cheon Yugyeong, Director of the Road Traffic Bureau, stated, "When using the Gyeongui-Jungang Line or KTX, it is necessary to check departure times at the respective stations or confirm them through the Korea Railroad Corporation website or subway information apps. We will continue to provide updates on the progress of the strike through the Paju City website and social media, while closely monitoring various variables such as a prolonged strike, to ensure that inconvenience to citizens is minimized."

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