[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] A case has come to light in which an employee of the Korea Railroad Corporation (Korail) was promoted despite being caught driving under the influence (DUI), without facing any disciplinary action.
According to Korail’s personnel regulations, employees subjected to administrative penalties for DUI offenses are to be disciplined, with possible dismissal, and their promotions and awards restricted.
On Thursday, the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) released a report on its regular audit of Korail, revealing these findings.
The BAI examined the cases of 186 Korail employees caught driving under the influence between January 2021 and April 2024. The investigation found that 37 of them were promoted, and 44 received commendations, all without disciplinary measures.
Particularly concerning was the fact that train operators and maintenance workers had operated trains or inspected platform safety doors on the same day they were caught for DUI.
The BAI instructed Korail to take appropriate action against employees caught for DUI in accordance with internal regulations and urged the company to strengthen alcohol testing and supervision of railway personnel.
Additionally, the audit uncovered that 260 employees had traveled overseas or visited racetracks while on sick leave or union duty during working hours. The BAI ordered Korail to discipline those involved and recover any excess annual leave allowances that had been paid.
The BAI also investigated five members who had canceled more than KRW 100 million worth of train tickets between May 2019 and May 2023. These individuals purchased 49,552 tickets worth KRW 2.93 billion and canceled 48,762 tickets worth KRW 2.908 billion, resulting in a cancellation rate of 99.2%. Korail had failed to detect this.
Furthermore, the BAI instructed Korail to discipline six employees who had knowingly accepted substandard concrete railway sleepers and ordered the company to replace all defective sleepers and strengthen track inspections.
Lastly, the BAI advised the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport to work with Korail, SR, and other operators to devise measures to address the shortage of seats on high-speed trains.
AlphaBIZ Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
