As many as 125 trains were delayed in the South Korean capital of Seoul after a train operator took a four-minute toilet break.
The incident occurred on Monday around 8 am local time on Seoul’s Line 2 when the conductor, working on the outer loop, made an urgent stop at a station and hurried to the restroom.
An engineer oversaw the situation as the operator quickly ran to the bathroom, which was located on another floor. The operator took 4 minutes and 16 seconds to return to the cabin, triggering a domino effect that resulted in delays for multiple trains. Many of the affected trains were delayed by 20 minutes or more from their original schedules.
Typically, conductors on the circular lines work for two to three hours without breaks. Although portable toilets are available for emergencies, staff members are sometimes forced to use restrooms far from the platforms.
Despite the delays, Seoul Metro reported that the disruption was largely mitigated, and passengers reached their destinations with minimal inconvenience.
Social media users reacted to the incident, raising concerns about labor rights. One user remarked, “Train punctuality should be prioritized but not at the cost of a single person who cannot even take a few-minute break.” Another commenter noted, “This incident shows the realistic limitations of a one-man system.” A third user called for stronger labor laws to ensure workers' rights: “If we hire enough people so that there are no delays when going to the bathroom and protect workers' rights, the system will run smoothly.”
