Commuters who have had to visit a lost-and-found center in person during weekday daytime hours to retrieve forgotten belongings will soon find the process far more convenient.
Seoul Metro announced it will launch a doorstep delivery service for lost items starting Monday, July 20, allowing customers to have belongings held at its lost-and-found centers shipped directly to an address of their choosing.
Under the service, items stored at lost-and-found centers are dispatched by courier to wherever the customer specifies.
Customers can receive their lost belongings at home, at work, or any other preferred location without traveling to a center.
Seoul Metro already operates a separate service that lets customers pick up lost items from storage lockers at a station of their choice.
To use the new service, customers must first confirm which lost-and-found center is holding their item, then contact that center to verify their identity. Staff will send a link through which the customer enters a delivery address and pays the shipping fee to complete the request.
Fees are based on the weight of the item: 5,000 won for packages under 2 kilograms, 6,000 won for those between 2 and 10 kilograms, and 7,000 won for those between 10 and 20 kilograms. However, rates may vary depending on the delivery area and package dimensions.
The service operates in partnership with CJ Logistics. Any loss or damage during transit will be handled through the courier's compensation process. Certain items are ineligible for delivery, including cash, securities, explosive materials, and live animals or plants.
Seoul Metro also reminded passengers of steps to take immediately after leaving something behind on the subway. Anyone who realizes they have lost an item on a train or in a station should contact the nearest customer safety office or the customer center at 1577-1234 as soon as possible.
Providing precise details — such as the time of the train, the platform screen door number where the passenger alighted, and where the item was left — will help station staff locate and secure the lost property more quickly.
Items not recovered on the day they are lost are registered on the Police Civil Service 24 website and held for one week. Anyone can search the site from a computer or smartphone by date, item type, or photo to check whether their belongings have been found.
"The doorstep delivery service was designed to reduce the time and travel burden on customers so they can get their lost items back more conveniently," Seoul Metro President Kim Tae-gyun said. "We will continue to expand everyday lifestyle services that meet the needs of our citizens, raising both customer satisfaction and the rate at which lost items are returned to their owners."
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