Korail conducts large-scale disaster drills at Greater Seoul subway stations

Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) announced Wednesday that it had carried out large-scale hands-on drills to strengthen fire response capabilities at subway stations.

The drills, designed to prepare for summer climate disasters and lithium battery fires, ran for one week starting June 16 across 303 Greater Seoul subway stations, with all station staff responsible for passenger guidance taking part.

Participants first reviewed emergency procedures for extreme summer weather — including heat waves and heavy rain — and customer guidance protocols, then conducted disaster preparedness drills simulating lithium battery fires. The exercises followed a step-by-step response sequence: evacuating customers outdoors, notifying the fire department and other relevant agencies, and cutting off the oxygen supply using flame-resistant gloves, portable water tanks and fire-smothering blankets.

Earlier, Korail had rolled out online education to ensure all station staff were familiar with fire-smothering blankets and other firefighting equipment. The company has also expanded its fire safety inventory by placing fire-smothering blankets and lithium battery-specific extinguishers at 67 below-ground stations and 26 major transfer stations, while continuing hands-on training alongside the equipment rollout.

"Electric trains are built with non-combustible and flame-retardant materials, which limits the risk of fire spreading, but we have taken preemptive action to protect customer safety," said Bae Jeong-yeol, head of Korail's metropolitan railway division. "We will do everything we can to ensure the safety of the metropolitan rail network, which serves about 3.13 million passengers a day."

Meanwhile, starting July 1, Korail will ban large-capacity lithium batteries from all trains and Greater Seoul subway stations to protect passengers from fire hazards.

Restricted items include all personal mobility devices powered by lithium batteries — such as electric kickscooters and electric bicycles — as well as portable high-capacity lithium batteries exceeding 160 watt-hours, including those used for broadcasting and camping.