Two years ago, the tragic death in the Daegu subway occurred.  As a result of this tragic accident, about 200 innocent citizens died and about 300 citizens were missing.  About two years later, this year,  a similar incident occurred on line 7 of the Seoul subway in January.  This fire had a little damage of lives compared with the tragic deaths of the Daegu subway. Even if this fire had  little damage to our lives, the Seoul subway that is used by many people is not safe than the time of the fire of Daegu subway.  When we think of the safety conditions of the present subway system, we will not know whether a fire like the tragic death of Daegu subway can occur again or not, whenever and anywhere.
 Two years ago, the government authority announced through the tragic death of Daegu subway that the "government will establish firm preparations and make a counterplan so that this safety accident does not  occur again."  But the counterplan is still not established in many parts. It is not performed that promise all structure materials in electronic cars will be changed as non-flammable material.  According to the monthly magazine "Mal", the structure material in 28% of electronic cars  Seoul has been changed as non-flammable material.
 Even if structure material in electronic car is changed to non-flammable material, dangerous factors is still exist.  All block disaster experts who looked around the subway station said "we feel dizzy", because the subway station has many matters that can make many poisonous gas.  In the case of Choongmu-ro station, especially, artificial caves made of urethane (chemistry ingredient) can create a lot of poisonous gas.  If Choongmu-ro station is burned and artificial cave catches fire, a lot of poisonous gas will hold down people in Choongmu-ro station.
 When the tragic deaths of the Daegu subway happened, many people were not burned to death but died by poisonous gas.  Now, many stations in Seoul city are made like a maze from exit to place that take an electronic car.  If a fire occurs in an electronic car, people will push each other roughly and will try to come out toward the exit.  But people do not come out to exit and fall down by people whose sight is covered by poisonous gas.

 Government authority did not establish a counterplan in this case.  20 gas masks were prepared in each electronic car.  Sometimes, we ride an electronic car, and look at the gas masks which are placed on the side of the door and think that "20 gas masks is not enough, because many people take an electronic car. If a fire occurs, many people that do not have a gas mask must die?"  Moreover these gas masks are not established everywhere but placed in some electronic cars.  The gas mask is insufficient as a provision for fire.
 And many other problems existed in the subway, such as one people trainman system, the communication system in electronic car-command-station building and CCTV establishment etc.  If these problems are not solved, how will people  use a subway safely? In  advanced counties, many people use a safe subway because the government got rid of all these dangerous factors in advance. Our country must accept the safe subway system of advanced counties and the changed subway must be used safely by many people so that the accident like the tragic deaths of the Daegu subway does not happen again.

By Kim Chul-hwan
Social & Political reporter