Police: "Sicheong Station Wrong-Way Driving, Sudden Acceleration Is Only Suspect's Statement... Vehicle Under National Forensic Service Examination"

Driver in 60s Charged with Negligent Homicide
"Charge Remains Even if Sudden Acceleration is the Cause"

Regarding the major traffic accident at Seoul City Hall Station that resulted in 15 casualties, the police have booked the driver, a man in his 60s, and have begun a detailed inspection of the accident vehicle. Additionally, the police distanced themselves from the driver's claim of sudden unintended acceleration, stating it is merely the suspect's statement.

On the night of the 1st, police and rescue workers are managing the scene at an intersection near Seoul City Hall Station where a major traffic accident occurred.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

An official from the Seoul Namdaemun Police Station announced on the 2nd that driver A (68) has been booked on charges of negligent homicide under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling.

The official explained, "The claim of sudden unintended acceleration is only what the suspect has stated (to the media, etc.), and the police have not directly obtained such a statement." He added, "Even if sudden unintended acceleration is the cause of the accident, the charges do not change." He further stated, "We plan to conduct a comprehensive investigation" and "We will also consider the arrest warrant from various angles."

Earlier, A’s wife B (66), who was a passenger in the vehicle, reportedly told bystanders immediately after the accident that sudden unintended acceleration was the cause. However, the police plan to request an inspection of the vehicle by the National Forensic Service to accurately determine the cause of the accident.

The police are currently verifying the cause of the incident and the vehicle’s trajectory based on witness statements, black box data, and CCTV footage.

Regarding A, the police plan to proceed with the investigation once his condition improves, based on medical opinions.

The accident occurred around 9:27 p.m. the previous day at an intersection near Seoul City Hall Station, where a Genesis vehicle crashed onto the sidewalk. The vehicle struck two cars?a BMW and a Sonata?and then hit pedestrians. Because it was during the time when citizens were returning home after work and finishing dinner, a large number of casualties occurred.

The accident resulted in 9 deaths and 6 injuries. Of the 9 deceased, 6 died at the scene, and 3 were transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but were later pronounced dead. Among the 6 injured, 1 sustained serious injuries and 5 had minor injuries; all were transported to nearby hospitals.