Participants during a debate hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety at Yonsei University on Saturday were sharply divided over escalator etiquette. While a majority called for standing on both sides for safety and formally adopting the practice as government policy, a vocal opposing camp argued that passengers should stand on one side during rush hour. Standing on one side takes root during 2002 World Cup Current government guidelines for escalator use advise passengers not to walk or run. But the practice of standing on one side became widespread between 1998 and 2008 through a campaign promoting considerate public behavior, with the 2002 World Cup playing a decisive role in its nationwide adoption. There was a prevailing belief that passengers should leave one side clear for people in a hurry. The practice, however, led to more accidents as increasing numbers of people walked or ran on escalators. According to the National Elevator Information Center, the number of escalator accidents nearly doubled from 44 in 2007 to 85 in 2008. Equipment maintenance also became a concern.