Car Hits Sidewalk in Seoul, Kills Nine

A major traffic accident occurred in central Seoul when a car sped onto a sidewalk, killing nine people and leaving four injured.

The road was plunged into chaos after the crash as passersby rushed in and attempted CPR on the victims struck by the vehicle. The driver of the car in question, a man in his 60s, claimed that it had accelerated on its own, although witnesses to the accident said this seemed unlikely.

For now, it appears that a police investigation will be necessary to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The accident occurred at 9:27 pm on an eight-lane road near Exit 12 of City Hall Station on Line 2 of the Seoul Metro. Many people were present on the sidewalk at the time, while traffic on the road was fairly heavy.

A black Genesis driven by a 68-year-old man reportedly exited a hotel near the station and swerved into oncoming traffic, successively colliding with a BMW and Sonata before speeding through a crosswalk and striking pedestrians who were waiting to cross. 

“As of now, what we have determined about the accident is the vehicle struck two other cars before plowing onto a sidewalk,” explained Kim Chun-su, the director of the Jungbu Fire Station’s firefighting administration department, in a briefing delivered at 11:40 that evening.

The safety barrier between the sidewalk and the road was left severely mangled and damaged after the car rammed into it. The driver and his wife, who was in the passenger seat, were transported to a local hospital after complaining of chest pains.

The six victims pronounced dead at the scene were transported to a makeshift mortuary nearby before finally being taken to the funeral hall at Yeongdeungpo Hospital. Three others were taken to the National Medical Center and Severance Hospital in a state of cardiac arrest before eventually succumbing to their injuries.