[LETTERS TO THE EDITOR]‘Safety first’ gets lost in the crush

Subways are the most widely used form of public transportation in Seoul. I use the Seoul subway myself. But every time I ride the subway, I wonder if accidents like the incident described in the article, “Man crushed in Seoul subway accident” (Dec. 8) really have to happen.
Many Korean public transportation riders are selfish; they jostle their way grumpily through a crowd of people as if there were a fire or other catastrophic thing happening behind them. In busy stations like Gangnam, Apkujeong, and Gyodae, these incidents may happen easily. I believe that the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation should install alarm sensors and other safety devices. But if people would slow down and obey basic safety rules, such as staying behind the orange safety line, more safety equipment would not be necessary. If riders will not practice safety, the corporation should build automatic doors to keep riders out of danger.

by John Yoo