Seoul City to Conduct Comprehensive Survey of One-Way Streets Following Sicheong Station Disaster

Mayor Oh Se-hoon Orders Accident Countermeasures
Discusses Safety Facility Improvements with Police Agency
"Strengthening Aptitude Tests for Elderly Drivers Is Scientific"

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will conduct a comprehensive survey of one-way streets in Seoul in connection with the reverse driving accident at City Hall Station. In particular, it has been decided to establish safety measures such as improving traffic safety facilities for the one-way (no entry) road at the accident site in Sogong-dong in cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

On the 4th, Seoul City announced that Mayor Oh Se-hoon ordered a full survey of one-way streets in Seoul as part of the accident countermeasures. After the survey, if improvements to one-way traffic safety facilities and signal systems are necessary, the city plans to promptly make enhancements in consultation with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Earlier, on the 2nd, Mayor Oh visited the funeral hall at Severance Hospital in Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where the body of Yoon Mo (31), a Grade 7 civil servant in the city tax department, was laid to rest, to express his condolences. He said, "I hope this accident will trigger a social discussion on what supplementary measures are needed for renewing driver's licenses for elderly and super-elderly drivers," adding, "It is really important to discuss and publicize making devices that prevent pedal misoperation or malfunction mandatory, as is done in foreign countries, to prevent recurrence of such accidents."

He also visited the funeral hall at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, where the body of Kim Mo (52), the head of the City Hall Operations Team 1 (Grade 5 administrative officer), was laid to rest, and said, "I saw that the guardrails at the accident site were heavily damaged. We will take this opportunity to inspect them," and added, "We will use this as an opportunity to check what improvements are needed to protect lives as much as possible in the event of unforeseen traffic accidents."

Mayor Oh also appeared on a broadcast that day, expressing concern about the dangers of elderly drivers, saying, "Applying technology that measures reflexes through science and technology and strengthening aptitude tests might be the most objective and scientific response." He continued, "There could be technology in aptitude tests that measures how quickly one reacts to suddenly appearing situations through simulation driving," and said, "I requested a review at the executive meeting on whether drivers could assess their own driving ability and take corresponding measures."

Meanwhile, the Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul reported that the Seoul Central District Court rejected the arrest warrant for Cha Mo (68), the driver involved in the City Hall Station traffic accident that caused nine deaths, the day before. According to the police, the court dismissed the warrant on the grounds that "there is no reason to believe the suspect would not appear, and it is difficult to conclude that arrest is necessary." It is understood that the arrest warrant was rejected considering that Cha is hospitalized and receiving treatment, and is under close police protection.