Seoul Metro and Korea Communications Agency sign MOU to create an electromagnetic wave safety environment on urban rail lines
Electromagnetic wave meters to rotate through Lines 1–8 stations for six months starting this month
Passengers on Seoul's subway will soon be able to check electromagnetic wave levels inside stations for themselves.
Seoul Metro said Wednesday it signed an MOU with the Korea Communications Agency (KCA) to monitor electromagnetic waves across subway Lines 1 through 8, under an agreement titled "Creating an Electromagnetic Wave Safety Environment for Urban Rail."
The agreement was drawn up in response to the growing number of mobile base stations and Wi-Fi networks installed inside stations, with the aim of systematically managing the electromagnetic environment and providing passengers with objective measurement data. The two organizations said the initiative is intended to ease public concerns and create a subway environment where riders can feel at ease.
Under the MOU, Seoul Metro plans to conduct electromagnetic wave monitoring at stations on Lines 1 through 8 for six months, from this month through April 2027. Select station concourses will also be fitted with "electromagnetic wave traffic lights" — color-coded displays that let passengers read measurement results at a glance.
Measurement data will also be made publicly available through the electromagnetic wave safety information website operated by KCA.
Beyond monitoring, the two organizations will cooperate on electromagnetic safety assessments inside stations, as well as reduction consulting and safety education for station workers. Seoul Metro will provide space and power for the equipment, while KCA will handle installation, operation, maintenance and analysis of measurement results.
Seoul Metro said it plans to use the monitoring data to build a systematic picture of the electromagnetic environment at each station and apply the findings as baseline material for future facility management and environmental improvements. The agency added that it intends to raise the standard of electromagnetic wave management through collaboration with a specialist body and continue working toward a subway environment passengers can trust.
"I hope this agreement becomes an opportunity to ease public anxiety about the electromagnetic environment inside stations and deepen understanding of the issue," Seoul Metro President Kim Tae-gyun said. "We will keep working with specialist organizations to build a subway environment that citizens can use with confidence."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
