On the 19th, at the 경부선 railway near the Cheongdo so-sseon combat arena in Samshin-ri, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, police, fire services, and KORAIL personnel are investigating the accident where the Mugunghwa train hit 7 workers who were working near the tracks. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

A collision occurred on the 19th between a Mugunghwa train in operation in Cheongdo County, North Gyeongsang Province, and workers from Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) working near the tracks. The accident resulted in 2 fatalities, 4 seriously injured, and 1 with minor injuries.

According to KORAIL and police, a worker was struck around 10:50 a.m. while moving near the Mugunghwa train No. 1903 operating between Namseonghyeon Station and Cheongdo Station in Samshin-ri, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo County.

As a result of the accident, 7 individuals, including a KORAIL employee and staff from a structural safety inspection company, were struck by the train and transported to a nearby hospital. Among them, 2 died. They were walking to visually inspect whether the slope structures in the area had been damaged due to recent heavy rain.

The train involved in the accident was heading toward Jinju Station, carrying 89 passengers. KORAIL reported that the passengers were not injured.

On the 19th, at the 경부선 railway near the Cheongdo so-sseon combat arena in Samshin-ri, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, police, fire services, and KORAIL personnel are investigating the Mugunghwa train that was involved in the accident that killed track workers. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

According to the fire department, the accident occurred when a train approaching from behind struck the workers moving on foot. A Cheongdo Fire Department official noted during a briefing at the incident response center set up at the scene, "I heard that the train (involved in the accident) runs on electricity, so it doesn't make much noise. Therefore, we suspect that the victims did not adequately perceive the train's approach." It is still being confirmed whether the engineer honked the horn upon seeing the workers.

The train involved in the accident was moved from the scene around 12:44 p.m. However, as of 2 p.m. that day, an investigation was underway, leading to trains on both up and down lines operating alternately on the up track. As a result, 6 KTX trains were delayed by 20 to 50 minutes, and 12 regular trains were delayed by 20 to 60 minutes.

KORAIL stated, "The exact cause of the accident is under investigation by related agencies, including the police." The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has dispatched an initial response team, including the railway safety policy director, railway safety inspectors, railway police, and traffic safety corporation researchers, to support swift accident recovery and investigate the cause.

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