Train Accident in North Korea’s Results Over 400 Deaths

It was belatedly revealed that a large-scale disaster occurred in North Korea, where hundreds of people died when a passenger train traveling from Pyongyang to Geumgol (Geumgol) in South Hamgyong Province overturned.

According to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 16th (local time), the train that left Pyongyang on the 26th of last month, which was the end of the year, failed to cross a high hill between Dongam Station and Ripa Station after passing Dancheon Station in South Hamgyong Province, and eventually overturned as it was pushed back.

The train was known to have left Pyongyang on the morning of the 25th of last month, and it is reported that it takes 13 hours to travel from Pyongyang to Geumgol on schedule.

After Dancheon Station, the train passes through Yeohaejin-Chungok-Dabdong-Gayeop-Gwangcheon-Uncheon Station, and the slope starts at Dongdeok Station. The railway to Ripa Station via Dongam-Suchon-Sinpyeong is located in a high mountainous area at an altitude of 2,297 feet.

The reason the train could not cross the hill was reported to be due to the aging railway and power shortage, and at the time of the accident, there was a lot of snow piled up around Dancheon Station due to heavy snowfall.

A source told RFA, “The train started to slow down at the point where the steep slope started, and as soon as it got on the railway going up to Ripa Station, the wheels started to spin due to weak voltage. Then the whole train started to be pushed back. The engineer tried to brake, but the train derailed as the train started to accelerate as it was pushed down.”

Immediately after the train derailed, the rear part of the train fell down the mountain, and there are testimonies that the train continued to derail and rolled down the valley while heading towards Dongam Station.

The source added, “The two high-class trains connected directly behind the locomotive did not derail and stopped after being pushed down to Dancheon Station with the locomotive, so the executives on the high-class train survived, and most of the residents on the remaining seven trains died.”

North Korean passenger trains typically operate with 9-11 cars connected, with the first 1-2 cars being executive-only high-class trains, followed by one cargo car and seven regular passenger cars.

The source explained that as a result of this accident, all seven regular passenger cars connected at the back fell, and most of the passengers died, since the capacity of one train car is 60 people, the number of deaths exceeds 400.

The train was always full of traders carrying metals such as zinc produced in Geumgol and king potatoes produced in Daeheung to the inland. In particular, it was reported that many young people in their 20s who were going to a mine in Dancheon as a group dispatch and housewives who were making a living as traders were on board.

According to the source, currently, a response team for the accident and a special team for handling the bodies are being operated centered around the South Hamgyong Province authorities.

North Korea has not released an official position related to the report.

By. Jun Young Ahn