People are seen walking in Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul on Nov. 20, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Back-to-back protests by railway and subway workers disrupted subway services in the capital area on Wednesday, with commuters complaining of delays during the morning rush hour.
The Korean Railway Workers’ Union’s work-to-rule protest continued for the third day, causing eight trains on subway lines 1, 3 and 4 and the Suin-Bundang and Gyeongui-Central lines to be delayed by over 20 minutes, according to the Korea Railroad Corp.
The biggest labor union of Seoul Metro, the operator of subway lines 1-8, also launched a work-to-rule protest Wednesday, raising concerns of further disruptions, though a company official said all trains were arriving on time as of 8 a.m.
Both unions have demanded higher pay and a bigger workforce, and threatened to stage full-scale strikes unless their demands are met.
At Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul, public announcements apologizing for 10 to 20 minute delays could be heard amid the bustle of commuters.
A platform worker said the station appeared to be twice as crowded as usual, with people complaining about train delays.
“I’m worried about the evening rush hour as it’s already like this in the morning,” he said.
Lee Jong-cheol, who commutes from Incheon, west of Seoul, to Guro Station in the capital’s west, said it typically takes him two hours to travel.
“It feels like it’s taking 15 to 20 minutes longer today,” he said. “I hope the union and management can find a solution through dialogue and end this inconvenience quickly.”
There were others who said they did not experience anything unusual.
Seo Gang-sik, a 35-year-old office worker, said he commutes from Hapjeong Station in northwestern Seoul and left home at 7 a.m. as always.
“The subway wasn’t that crowded and I didn’t feel anything unusual,” he said.
(Yonhap)
