Transportation safety agency to inspect extension of Subway Line 7

The Korea Transportation Safety Authority (TS) will conduct a second round of safety inspections of an extension for Subway Line 7 before it begins operations, the transportation agency said Wednesday.

The extension scheme, involving the Incheon Transit Corporation and the subway line operator Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation, involves an addition of three more stations to Subway Line 7 -- Bupyeong-gu Office Station, Sangok Station and Seoknam Station. The three stations are all located in Incheon.

TS said it is conducting a railway safety management assessment to check whether a safety management system is established in accordance with the country’s railway safety laws.

The field assessment, which kicked off Wednesday and is to last three days, is the second round of inspection conducted by the agency, and includes test-operation of the stations.

The agency said it has completed reviewing the documents, and the first round of field inspection last from March to early April.

“We will run a thorough examination to secure safety, so that the extending areas of Subway Line 7, can begin operation,” TS President Kwon Yong-bok said.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)