Victim of Sicheong Station Disaster: "Louder Than a Bomb... My Body Suddenly Lifted"

Victims of the 'Vehicle Crash Disaster' at Sicheong Station
"Fell Over Immediately with a Thud"
Testimonies on Sudden Acceleration... "No Sound Was Heard"

"Before the loud crash sound, I did not hear anything like the sound of a suddenly accelerating car engine"

In Jung-gu, Seoul, near Seoul City Hall Station, a 'vehicle rampage disaster' occurred, resulting in 9 deaths. A victim who was at the scene testified, "While walking and talking on the phone, I heard a 'bang' sound, felt my body lift momentarily, and then I fell down."

On the morning of the 2nd, debris from the accident was scattered on the sidewalk near the intersection by Seoul City Hall Station where a major traffic accident occurred.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 3rd, Money Today reported an interview with victim A (34) of the Seoul City Hall Station disaster. A, an office worker, was hit by a car that ran onto the sidewalk on the way home from work, sustaining injuries to the buttocks, knees, and ankles. A lay on the sidewalk immediately after the accident and was taken into the ambulance after seriously injured patients were prioritized. Among the 15 casualties (9 dead, 6 injured) in this accident, A was the last to be transported to the hospital and witnessed the entire situation vividly while lying down.

Earlier, on the 1st, a vehicle ran onto the sidewalk near City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, causing 9 deaths. All 9 deceased were identified as male office workers in their 30s to 50s. The black Genesis G80 vehicle driven by driver B (69) ran about 250 meters in reverse on the four-lane one-way road toward Sejong-daero before hitting the victims. B claims sudden unintended acceleration as the cause of the accident, and the Seoul Namdaemun Police Station booked B on the 2nd under the Traffic Accident Processing Special Act for professional negligence causing death or injury. Currently, B is reportedly in pain and unable to speak due to injuries.

A said, "(At the time of the accident) there was an extremely loud roar, then I was hit by the car," explaining the situation, "I have served in the military, fired guns, and heard explosions, but the bang sound was much louder than those, and I felt a pushing force from behind before I immediately fell." He added, "Even considering that I was on a call and not fully attentive to outside sounds at the time, the sound did not occur multiple times," and insisted, "Before the loud crash, I did not hear anything like the sound of a suddenly accelerating car engine."

Legal Community: "Expected Sentence Likely Not to Exceed 5 Years"

Vehicle of Mr. B making an emergency stop immediately after the accident.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, the police are focusing on the possibility that the accident was caused by B's negligence such as careless driving, while also keeping open various possibilities including sudden unintended acceleration. Among experts and witnesses, some opinions suggest it is difficult to consider sudden unintended acceleration given that the vehicle stopped on its own immediately after the accident.

B's expected sentence has also been a subject of controversy. Even if B's negligence is recognized rather than a vehicle defect (sudden unintended acceleration), the punishment is expected not to exceed 5 years in prison. Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Traffic Accident Processing Act stipulates that if a driver causes death or injury due to professional negligence or gross negligence, they shall be punished by imprisonment for up to 5 years or a fine of up to 20 million won, but actual sentencing standards are lower. The Supreme Court Sentencing Commission recommends imprisonment from 8 months to 2 years for traffic accident causing death or injury. According to legal community observations, considering aggravating factors such as B's violation of Article 3, Paragraph 2 (crossing the center line) and the number of casualties (aggravation 1-2 years), the maximum sentence is expected to be 2 to 3 years in prison.