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Seoul Metro said, Wednesday, it will compile a blacklist to target customers who sexually harass or abuse subway staff with violent language or bombard them with unreasonable complaints. This shift from a passive approach is meant to safeguard staff and ensure a safer, more respectful environment.

The operator of Seoul subway lines No. 1 to 8 announced proactive measures against malicious complainants, including pursuing legal action such as filing lawsuits. Individuals who persistently make unwarranted complaints will be added to a blacklist to prevent further issues.

In addition, it will inform that the matter is closed when a person continues to raise the same complaint more than three times, even after receiving a response. If the complainant persists in raising the same issue after being notified, Seoul Metro will consider taking legal action.

The company did not take such measures until now.

Currently, notices regarding the protection of staff responding to complaints under the Occupational Safety and Health Act are sent before calls are connected. Additional leave is also provided to staff members handling complaints, and safety equipment such as recorders is supplied to ensure their well-being.

However, with the implementation of the blacklist system, Seoul Metro aims to strengthen its response in a more fundamental and direct manner.

This decision stems from the acknowledgment that the current approach has failed to prevent work disruptions and the erosion of employee morale caused by malicious civil complaints.

Out of over 1,35 million complaints received last year, 3.8 percent, or 51,711 cases, were malicious complaints, Seoul Metro identified.

These cases included instances of sexual harassment, abusive language, threats, repeated claims that disrupted work and complaints that were likely to be malicious.

There have been extreme cases, such as an individual requesting information about train numbers around 15,000 times in a year, which can significantly disrupt the workflow of employees.

To address problems of malicious civil petitions, Seoul Metro plans to expand psychological counseling services for staff members and ensure the privacy of personal information for those handling complaints to protect staff.

"We will actively implement measures to enhance our response, as repeated malicious complaints have been causing disruptions to our operations," a Seoul Metro official said.