Mayor Oh Se-hoon Inspects Line 9 Train Depot... "Safety First in Heatwave"

[Financial News] Mayor Oh Se-hoon of Seoul, who returned from an overseas trip, visited the Seoul Metro Line 9 train depot. Line 9 is a major means of transportation for Seoul citizens, with an average of 750,000 passengers daily.
On the 11th, Mayor Oh inspected the air conditioning facilities inside the train and checked the readiness for heatwave conditions.
On the 8th, the tracks of the Korail Gyeongui-Jungang Line were slightly warped due to the heatwave, causing a 40-minute suspension of train operations. Mayor Oh immediately conducted a safety inspection of the train depot after returning from his trip on the 10th.
After listening to the current status of Line 9 operations and heatwave countermeasures from site officials, Mayor Oh boarded a train to inspect the 'automatic air conditioning control system'. Line 9 trains automatically adjust the air conditioning intensity by detecting congestion inside the train. The cooling system operates by lowering the temperature by 1 degree when congestion is at 30% and by 2 degrees when it is at 100%, based on a standard temperature of 23 degrees.
He then moved to the entry and exit lines where trains come and go to inspect the 'rail automatic water spray system' that lowers the track temperature during heatwaves. From 10 AM to 5 PM, water is sprayed at 30-minute intervals using sprinklers to prevent the rails from warping due to high temperatures.
Mayor Oh said, “I visited the site to check the response status to ensure that the subway, used by 7.5 million people daily, does not cause inconvenience or anxiety to citizens due to track warping or sagging caused by the heatwave,” and added, “We will make every effort to protect citizen safety from the heatwave, especially for vulnerable groups who feel more difficulties in the face of climate disasters.”
The Seoul Metropolitan Government also held an 'emergency heatwave countermeasure situation check meeting' on the 9th and issued emergency instructions including close protection of vulnerable groups. The 'field-oriented heatwave measures', which include safety checks for construction workers who work outdoors and promotion of heat illness prevention guidelines, are being distributed to relevant agencies and sites.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to conduct on-site inspections of over 300 construction sites ordered by the city, and has disseminated the '5 basic rules for preventing heat illness' to construction sites ordered by the city, autonomous districts, public corporations, and affiliated organizations. Regular welfare checks are conducted for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled, and water trucks have been expanded to alleviate street heatwaves.
On this day, Mayor Oh also visited the first-floor employee office in the control building and urged, "Please ensure that field employees adhere to safety rules and have sufficient break time during heatwaves."
Site officials emphasized, "We are providing material support and conducting guidance inspections to prevent heat illness among workers," and added, "We are taking measures such as stopping work when rest is needed, especially for all workers including those from partner companies."


chlee1@fnnews.com Lee Chang-hoon Reporter