'I have a ticket!' Man hanging on departing KTX train goes viral

A man hangs on the outside of a KTX train, which departed from a platform of Gwangmyeong Station in Gyeonggi Province on Friday. (YouTube)

A video of a man hanging on a KTX train as it began departing from a station has gone viral online in South Korea.

In the video, reportedly recorded just before 4 p.m. Friday at Gwangmyeong Station in Gyeonggi Province, a person appearing to be a man of foreign nationality hanging on the outside of a train leaving for Mokpo, which had just started moving, between two cars.

A female station official ran alongside the man, shouting, "Get off! Get off!" in Korean.

But the man continued to hang on the train by one arm, raising his other hand in apparent confusion or frustration, so the train stopped.

"You saw me opening the door! Why didn't you stop it?" the man shouted to the official in English, presumably referring to the door of the train and the departing train itself.

"I have a ticket!" the man said, still hanging on to the outside of the train.

The man repeated once again in English, "Let me on the train, I have a ticket! Open the door please."

As the man stepped onto the platform and began walking away, the official ran after him and was heard saying in Korean, "I announced several times that the doors were closing, and to board the train."

The man raised his arms again in apparent confusion or frustration.

The incident caused a temporary delay.

South Korea's Railway Safety Act states that no one should engage in conduct that could hinder the operation of the train without good cause. Violation of the act can be punished by up to 5 million won ($3,800) in fine.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)