In the evening, two elementary school students who were attempting to take photographs on the railroad tracks between Byeongjeom Station and Seryeu Station on the Gyeongbu Line entered the tracks without authorization, causing an unprecedented situation in which three subsequent trains were delayed by 5 to 10 minutes each.

At around 7:30 PM that day, two elementary school students entered the dangerous railroad tracks without permission for the purpose of taking photographs on the upbound section of the Gyeongbu Line between Byeongjeom Station and Seryeu Station. A train operator passing nearby discovered them and immediately reported them to Byeongjeom Station. Upon receiving the report, station officials arrived at the scene within about 10 minutes and safely removed the students from the tracks.

Due to the students' unauthorized entry, three subsequent trains running on the Gyeongbu Line experienced disruptions to their schedules, each delayed by approximately 5 to 10 minutes. The students were subsequently turned over to the Railroad Police and subjected to questioning. Trains on the relevant section are currently operating normally.

A Korail official issued a stern warning regarding this incident, stating that "unauthorized entry to railroad tracks is not only dangerous, but violating train operations can result in punishment under the Railroad Safety Act."

[Photo=Yonhapnews]

Unauthorized entry to railroad tracks is regarded as a serious criminal act that goes beyond simple curiosity or irresponsible behavior and seriously threatens the safety of both oneself and others. In particular, because trains have long braking distances and it is difficult to respond to unexpected situations, track intrusions carry a very high likelihood of leading to major accidents.

Although this incident stemmed from the actions of elementary school students, it underscores that railroad safety is a value that cannot be compromised by anything else. Korail emphasized the need for continuous education and publicity to heighten citizens' awareness regarding railroad safety and to eradicate acts of unauthorized intrusion into railroad facilities.

As a result of this incident, it is expected that societal attention to safety complacency and the necessity of railroad safety education will again come to the fore. While all trains have resumed normal operations, continuous societal attention and efforts are required to prevent such safety-threatening acts from recurring.