One in three entrapment accidents on escalators and moving walkways involved children aged 7 or younger, data showed. Young children most often had body parts such as feet or hands caught directly, while older adults were more likely to fall after belongings such as bags or umbrellas became trapped.
A total of 113 entrapment accidents involving escalators and moving walkways were reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) over the past five years from 2021 to 2025, the Korea Consumer Agency said on the 1st. Escalators accounted for 104 cases, or 92.0%, while moving walkways accounted for nine cases, or 8.0%.
Of the 109 cases in which the victim's age was identified, children aged 7 or younger accounted for 37 cases, or 33.9%, the largest share. Adults aged 65 and over accounted for 19 cases, or 17.4%, followed by young adults aged 19 to 34 with 15 cases, or 13.8%.
The nature of the accidents differed by age group. Among young children, 75.7%, or 28 cases, involved a body part such as a foot or hand being caught directly. Among older adults, by contrast, 68.4%, or 13 cases, stemmed from an item becoming trapped.
All nine cases in which an item became caught among young children involved footwear, and three of those involved rubber shoes. Among the 13 such cases involving older adults, belongings such as bags and umbrellas were the most common cause with six cases, or 46.1%, followed by clothing with four cases and footwear with three.
The injuries also differed. Among young children, 25 cases, or 67.6%, involved injuries to the feet or legs. Among older adults, 11 cases, or 57.9%, involved injuries to the head and face, neck and shoulders, or torso, which the agency attributed to falls caused by losing balance when an item became caught.
The Korea Consumer Agency issued a consumer safety alert to prevent entrapment accidents, urging users to take care that rubber shoes, shoelaces and long hems of clothing do not get caught. It also advised riders to stand inside the yellow safety line and hold the handrail, and recommended that guardians carry young children or hold their hands.
