6-Year-Old Child Hit by Van on First Day of Chuseok Holiday Passes Away

Police to Book Driver on Charges of Fatality under Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling

119 paramedics performing first aid. Photo by Incheon Fire Headquarters

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A 6-year-old child who was hit by a van while crossing a two-lane road on the first day of the Chuseok holiday passed away during hospital treatment.

According to the Incheon Fire Headquarters and Incheon Ganghwa Police Station on the 1st, at around 4:40 PM the previous day, a Starex vehicle driven by A (59) hit B (6) in front of Geonpyeong Coastal Rest Area road in Yangdo-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon.

As a result of the accident, B suffered severe head injuries and was in cardiac arrest. She received emergency treatment from the 119 ambulance team and was transported to a nearby hospital.

Later, B was airlifted by a fire helicopter to the intensive care unit of a large hospital to continue treatment, and it was reported that her breathing and pulse temporarily returned, but she ultimately passed away that morning.

At the time of the accident, it was confirmed that B was crossing the two-lane road in front of Geonpyeong Rest Area to go to the coastal area where her father was.

B, who lives in Seoul with her family, was visiting Ganghwa Island, Incheon for the Chuseok holiday.

The driver, A, claimed to the police that "the child suddenly ran out, so I could not reduce speed."

The police are reviewing the vehicle’s black box and nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV), and plan to book A on charges of causing death by negligence under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling.

A police official said, "The coastal road where the accident occurred has a speed limit of 60 km/h," and added, "We are checking whether A violated the speed limit."