Interior ministry seeks 200 participants for escalator safety forum

The interior ministry said Monday it will recruit 200 members of the public for an Aug. 29 forum in Seoul to discuss escalator safety culture with experts and government representatives.

Called the "Everyone's Forum," the event will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Yonsei University's Baekyangnuri venue. The ministry said it organized the forum to move beyond the long-running debate over whether riders should stand in one or two lines. It will open with presentations by elevator-sector experts, then public discussions where attendees can raise everyday concerns and offer improvement proposals. The forum will examine accident causes, actual use patterns, equipment condition and maintenance, and potential policy improvements.

South Korean citizens can apply through the ministry's website or Communication Innovation 24 by Aug. 10.

"Escalator-use culture is directly connected to daily life, and varied views make it a topic that requires discussion and deliberation with the public," Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung said. "Through this forum, we hope to build social consensus on an escalator-use culture. We ask the public for its interest and participation."

Before the event, the ministry will conduct an online advance poll through the Everyone's Forum board on Communication Innovation 24, where people can vote on questions about escalator safety. The ministry will disclose the results at the forum. It will also provide participants with statistics and study materials on the nationwide escalator inventory classified by travel length, operating speed and slope. The ministry said it would consider and use views raised at the forum in efforts to improve escalator safety culture and develop policy.