Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) has been revealed to have promoted or awarded employees who received administrative penalties for drunk driving instead of disciplining them. The Board of Audit and Inspection released the results of the regular audit on the 20th, stating that Korail should take appropriate measures against the employees caught.
The Board of Audit and Inspection confirmed the discipline of 186 employees caught for drunk driving between January 2021 and April 2024, finding that 37 and 44 of them were promoted or received awards without any penalties.
There were instances where drivers and maintenance workers operated trains or performed platform safety inspections on the same day they were caught for drunk driving.
The Board of Audit and Inspection urged the corporation to take appropriate measures according to its internal disciplinary regulations for employees caught for drunk driving and called for thorough alcohol testing and supervision for railway workers.
260 employees of the corporation who took sick leave or requested union activities during working hours were also caught traveling abroad or visiting race tracks.
The Board of Audit and Inspection noted that from January 2022 to April 2024, these individuals misused 782 days for sick leave or purposes other than union activities, urging the corporation to take precautions. Additionally, it instructed the corporation to take actions against the individuals involved according to internal disciplinary regulations and recover the excessive annual leave payments.
The Board of Audit and Inspection also pointed out that the actions taken regarding mass cancellations of train tickets were insufficient, instructing the corporation to prepare improvement measures.
In an investigation into five members who canceled a total of more than 100 million won in train tickets from May 2019 to May last year, it was found that they purchased 49,552 tickets (worth 2.9 billion won) and canceled 48,762 tickets (worth 2.9 billion won). The cancellation rate reached 99.2%, but the corporation was unaware of this fact, the Board pointed out.
The Board of Audit and Inspection requested the corporation to impose disciplinary actions or provide warnings to six employees who turned a blind eye to the delivery of defective concrete sleepers, as well as to replace all substandard sleepers and strengthen track inspections.
Additionally, the Board of Audit and Inspection notified the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to prepare improvement measures regarding the shortage of high-speed train seats in consultation with the corporation and SR.