On the 25th, the electronic board at Osong Station in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, displayed that trains were collectively delayed by 3 to 11 minutes. The situation was similar the next day. As of 10:30 a.m. on the 26th, trains were departing about 12 to 16 minutes late.
The phenomenon of 'late operation,' where trains do not depart at the scheduled time, is occurring in succession mainly on the Gyeongbu Line. This is a backlash following the train accident that occurred in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, on the 19th, which led to the Ministry of Employment and Labor issuing a work stoppage order. This phenomenon is expected to continue until the work stoppage order is lifted.
Earlier, while workers were conducting safety inspection work near Cheongdo Station tracks, two were killed and five were injured after being struck by an oncoming train. In response, the Daegu Regional Employment and Labor Office began investigating the serious accident and issued a work stoppage order. The content of the order was to 'halt all inspection, maintenance, and repair work on tracks and facilities within the jurisdiction of the Daegu headquarters.'
In accordance with the work stoppage order, KORAIL, which faced disruptions in maintenance work, implemented separate slow operation measures to prevent safety accidents. Train speeds will be restricted to below 60 kilometers per hour in sections including the Gyeongbu Line from Sinam to Cheongdo, ▲ Jungang Line from Bukyeongcheon to Yeongcheon, Yeongcheon to Moryang, ▲ Daegu Line from Gacheon to Yeongcheon, and in the Donghae Line from Buk Ulsan to Pohang and Pohang to Goraebul.
As a result, not only the trains that must pass through the slow operation sections but also subsequent trains with overlapping routes are unable to operate as scheduled due to congestion. For example, the train from Busan to Seoul via Gupo Station is delayed because it must pass through the Sinam to Cheongdo section. However, even the trains from Busan to Seoul that do not pass through Gupo Station are experiencing delays due to the earlier trains that traveled slowly.
This phenomenon is expected to continue until the work stoppage order is lifted. To lift the work stoppage order, the employer must complete improvements to hazardous and risky factors, listen to the opinions of worker representatives, and submit a request for lifting to the Daegu Regional Employment and Labor Office. After the labor office inspector confirms the site, a review committee must be convened within four days of receiving the application to determine whether to lift the order.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, it was found that an average of 40.5 days was required to lift work stoppage orders based on last year's data. To implement improvements for the hazardous and risky factors of this accident, the cause of the accident must first be identified, and as the investigation takes longer, the work stoppage order may be prolonged.
Previously, on Nov. 5, 2022, a train accident also occurred at Obong Station in Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province, and the work stoppage order was lifted on the 24th of that month, about 20 days after the accident occurred. The work stoppage order halted cargo train traffic, leading to a 'cement crisis' at construction sites in the metropolitan area.
Recently, due to consecutive heatwaves across the country and the impact of the work stoppage order, cases of passenger inconvenience due to delayed operations have been increasing. A KORAIL official said, 'In cases where the train has been delayed by more than 20 minutes due to slow operation, delay compensation will be automatically paid, and refund penalties for tickets will not occur,' adding, 'For cash tickets, delay compensation can be requested through the station window, website, or KORAIL Talk.'