President Moon Jae-in apologizes for South Korea train derailment

Dec. 10 (UPI) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in issued a public apology after a high-speed train derailed, injuring more than a dozen passengers on Saturday.

In a meeting with top presidential aides at the Blue House on Monday, Moon said the railroad, built about a year ago ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, would need to undergo safety inspections.

"We will order stepped up measures to restore public trust in the high-speed rail network," Moon said, according to News 1.

The accident took place on Saturday. The train had slowed down as it approached a station, traveling at about 64 mph, when it derailed at about 7:35 a.m., according to Yonhap news agency.

A total of 15 passengers were injured, and no casualties have been reported.

"It was incredibly fortunate the train derailed at low-speed and there were no casualties," Moon said Monday. "But it is an accident that could have led to a massive disaster."

Witnesses on board said they heard a loud sound before the train went off the tracks.

"I was traveling from Gangneung to Pyeongchang in the sixth car. But shortly after the train departed, it went off the tracks with a thud," one 22-year-old passenger said, according to Yonhap. "It was as if the train slid for around 50 meters, and I could hear the train dragging pebbles with a metallic sound."

Train operator KORAIL said the rail conditions had declined with suddenly freezing temperatures.

The section of the railroad where the accident occurred was shut down over the weekend during investigations, according to reports.