Seoul subway screen doors claim another victim

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) – A 36-year-old male passenger became the latest victim of Seoul's subway Wednesday, after becoming trapped behind screen doors supposedly designed to keep passengers safe.

Local officials said the incident happened at 7.18 a.m. (2218GMT Tuesday) as the man was getting off a train at Gimpo International Airport station on line 5, while police officers are investigating what exactly happened.

Seoul's subway screen doors have claimed the lives of three maintenance workers since 2013 -- including a 19-year-old in May -- along with an 81-year-old woman who was dragged to her death after her purse got caught in February.

The city installed safety doors in 2007, but their benefits and related maintenance issues have become sources of increasing concern.

Even with bolstered regulations to protect staff, passengers appear to still be vulnerable.

Meanwhile, workers on subway lines 1 to 8 went ahead with a planned strike over an ongoing pay dispute at 9 a.m.