From Live Flower Crabs to Snakes and Lizards... This Underground Spot Is a Mini Zoo

Last year, the item most frequently reported lost by customers to Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) was 'bags.' Some customers even lost live animals.

On the 22nd, KORAIL announced that the total number of lost items found at train stations and on trains nationwide over the past year reached 247,225. This represents a 51.9% increase compared to the previous year, averaging 677 lost items reported per day. Furthermore, the rate of increase in lost items was higher than the 8.5% increase in transportation volume compared to 2022.

Lost items reported to Korail [Image source=Korail]

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The most commonly lost item was bags, accounting for 15% (36,707 cases) of all lost items. This was followed by wallets (11.4%, 28,236 cases), shopping bags (10.7%, 26,415 cases), and mobile phones (10.4%, 25,589 cases).

Meanwhile, animals, medical devices, sports equipment, and military items were also reported as lost items. Some customers left behind animals such as lizards in cages, live crabs, puppies, and snakes, as well as crutches, canes, couple rings, CPAP machines for snoring, and dentures.

The locations with the highest number of lost items were Busan Station (45,591 cases) and Seoul Station (37,213 cases), the departure and arrival stations on the Gyeongbu Line. Of the lost items received, 56.9% were returned to their owners, and among these, 97% were returned within seven days of receipt. Additionally, 37.7% were transferred to the police station, and 4.4% of lost items, such as food, which are difficult to store for long periods, were discarded.

According to relevant laws, lost items are kept at the station where they were found for one week, and if the owner does not appear, they are handed over to the police station. Among customer feedback (VOC) related to lost items last year, 69.4% were expressions of gratitude for finding lost belongings or praise for staff who responded proactively.

Simple inquiries about lost items accounted for 11.4%, complaints about staff attitude were 11.2%, and demands for compensation related to disposal or damage of found items were 4.7%. If you lose something at a station, you can report it to the nearest station office or the Railroad Customer Center. If you lose something while on a train, you should notify the train crew. Lost items can also be searched directly through the National Police Agency’s Lost and Found Integrated Management System.

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