Seoul subway line 7 has most delays; line 2 draws most complaints
In short
Seoul Metro lines 1–8 recorded 327 delays of between five and 20 minutes from 2022 through August this year, according to data the operator gave to Rep. Jeong Il-yong of the Democratic Party. Line 7 had the most delays, 91 cases or 27.8%, while complaints about delays and disruptions were concentrated on line 2, which accounted for 42,258 of 139,797 complaints over the period. Complaints rose 57.6% between 2022 and last year, and the eight-month total this year reached 93.1% of last year's full-year figure.
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Seoul Metro lines 1–8 recorded 327 train delays of at least five minutes but under 20 minutes between 2022 and August this year, according to data the operator submitted to the office of Rep. Jeong Il-yong, a Democratic Party lawmaker from Incheon Yeonsu-eul. Dong-A Ilbo reported that the lawmaker sits on the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. Line 7 recorded the most delays, 91 cases or 27.8% of the total. [ 1 , 3 ]
The remaining delays were spread across the network, Hankook Ilbo reported: line 5 with 48 cases (14.7%), line 4 with 41 (12.5%), lines 2 and 3 with 34 each (10.4%), line 6 with 33 (10.1%), line 8 with 32 (9.8%) and line 1 with 14 (4.3%). Line 7 led the count for four consecutive years from 2022 to last year and again recorded the most cases through August this year, with 10. [ 1 , 3 ]
Rider complaints followed a different pattern. Of 139,797 delay- and disruption-related complaints filed over five years, line 2 accounted for 42,258, or 30.2%, followed by line 4 with 32,870 (23.5%), line 3 with 19,751 (14.1%), line 7 with 19,582 (14.0%) and line 5 with 11,413 (8.2%). Line 2 also issued the most delay certificates: 22,233 of 76,604 issued across lines 1–8 over the period, or 29%. [ 1 ]
Complaints have been rising. Hankook Ilbo reported that delay- and disruption-related complaints grew 57.6%, from 2,831 in 2022 to 4,462 last year, and that 4,156 were filed through August this year, equal to 93.1% of last year's full-year figure. Dong-A Ilbo attributed those same numbers specifically to line 7, while Hankook Ilbo presented them as general complaint figures. [ 1 , 3 ]
Rep. Jeong said the problems take different forms on different lines. “Delays are recurring on line 7, and on line 2 complaints about the inconvenience caused by delays and disruptions are concentrated,” he said, adding that the operator should not simply tally cases but analyse which sections and which causes recur. Hankook Ilbo also noted that delays and complaints are different indicators and that service volume, ridership, affected sections and causes should be examined together. Korea Economic Daily's headline described line 7 as the “lateness champion”, though the article text shown did not cover the data. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The figures give a line-by-line picture of how often trains on Seoul's numbered subway lines run late and how riders respond, with complaints rising year on year. Rep. Jeong said counting cases is not enough and that Seoul Metro should analyse which sections and causes repeat, pointing to possible reviews of maintenance or scheduling. The documents do not say what caused the delays or what the operator plans to do.
Key facts
- Seoul Metro data submitted to Rep. Jeong Il-yong's office showed 327 delays of five to 20 minutes on lines 1–8 from 2022 through August this year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Line 7 had the most delays, 91 cases, or 27.8% of the total, and topped the list for four consecutive years from 2022 to last year, with 10 cases through August this year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Other lines followed: line 5 with 48 cases (14.7%), line 4 with 41 (12.5%), lines 2 and 3 with 34 each (10.4%), line 6 with 33 (10.1%), line 8 with 32 (9.8%) and line 1 with 14 (4.3%). [ 1 , 3 ]
- Of 139,797 delay- and disruption-related complaints over five years, line 2 accounted for 42,258 (30.2%), followed by line 4 with 32,870 (23.5%), line 3 with 19,751 (14.1%), line 7 with 19,582 (14.0%) and line 5 with 11,413 (8.2%). [ 1 ]
- Line 2 also issued the most delay certificates, 22,233 of 76,604 issued across lines 1–8 over five years, or 29%. [ 1 ]
- Complaints rose 57.6%, from 2,831 in 2022 to 4,462 last year, and stood at 4,156 through August this year, 93.1% of last year's full-year total; Hankook Ilbo reported these as overall figures while Dong-A Ilbo attributed the same numbers to line 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Rep. Jeong said each line's problems take a different form and that Seoul Metro should analyse which sections and causes recur rather than only counting cases. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Line 7 recorded the most delays among Seoul Metro lines 1–8 from 2022 through August this year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Delay- and disruption-related rider complaints were concentrated on line 2. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The delay and complaint figures came from Seoul Metro data submitted to the office of Rep. Jeong Il-yong of the Democratic Party. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the rise in complaints from 2,831 in 2022 to 4,462 last year applies to all lines or to line 7. Hankook Ilbo presents the figures as general delay- and disruption-related complaints, while Dong-A Ilbo attributes the same numbers specifically to line 7.
- What caused the repeated delays on line 7 and elsewhere. The documents give counts and line breakdowns but no causes; Hankook Ilbo notes that causes and affected sections still need analysis.
- How delay counts should be read alongside ridership and service volume. Hankook Ilbo states that delays and complaints are different indicators and that ridership and affected sections should be analysed together.
- What further Seoul Metro reporting Dong-A Ilbo referred to. Its feed summary is cut off mid-sentence at a reference to a March Seoul Metro work report.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Hankook Ilbo publishes the Seoul Metro figures submitted to Rep. Jeong Il-yong's office, including line-by-line delays and complaints. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily publishes a report whose headline calls line 7 Seoul's subway “lateness champion”. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the same data, noting line 7 for delays and line 2 for rider complaints. [ 3 ]