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The 2024 Seoul car crash ( Korean: 서울 시청역 교차로 차량 돌진 사고) occurred on 1 July 2024, when a car driving in reverse crashed into a group of people standing at a crosswalk near Seoul City Hall in Jung District, central Seoul, South Korea, killing nine and injuring four, with three people left in critical condition. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

The event prompted investigations into future safety measures in Seoul to prevent future vehicle crashes. It highlighted the prevalence of traffic crashes caused by senior citizens and about potential programs to promote voluntary withdrawal of their driver's licenses. ^[6] Investigations were conducted into derogatory statements left at the makeshift memorial for the tragedy and on online communities, prompting arrests for defamation charges. ^[7]

Background

South Korea recorded 39,614 cases of traffic collisions caused by senior citizens equal to or older than 65 years old in 2023. This number was the highest recorded in a year since statistics were first initiated. Many local South Korean governments have initiated programs to persuade senior citizens to voluntarily return their driver's licenses, which included cash payments ranging from 100,000 won (US$72) to 300,000 won (US$216). Despite these measures, only about 2% of senior citizens participated in the programs per year. ^[8]

Crash

On 1 July 2024, at approximately 21:30 KST, a traffic incident occurred near Exit 12 of City Hall Station in Seoul, South Korea. A 68-year-old man, during a traffic stop, reversed his Genesis G80 sedan, ^[8] colliding with two other vehicles. The vehicle then jumped the curb, destroyed guardrails, swerved across the adjacent crosswalk and sidewalk, and struck a group of pedestrians standing at the crosswalk. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

The incident resulted in the immediate death of six individuals at the scene. Seven others were injured and transported to a hospital. Of these, three who were in cardiac arrest succumbed to their injuries. Local media reported that three of the remaining four injured individuals were in critical condition. ^[4] All those killed were male workers "in their 30's to 50's". ^[9] Four of the victims were bank workers celebrating one of the victim's recent promotion, three were workers for an "outsourced company", while two were Seoul city government workers of a group of three celebrating one of the victims receiving workplace awards. ^[10]

The driver was promptly arrested at the scene and taken to a hospital. He reportedly informed the police that his car suddenly and unintentionally accelerated and that he had no prior history of driving under the influence. ^[5] Authorities said that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident and that he would be under investigation for accidental homicide. Local media reported that man responsible was a bus driver in his late 60s from Ansan. ^[11]

Investigation

Seoul Namdaemun police arrested the vehicle driver for infringing on the "Act on Special Cases concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents", with one senior police officer stating that the driver's charges would stay the same even if reports found that uncontrolled acceleration was involved. ^[10]

The driver of the vehicle, identified by his surname Cha, repeated that he tried to brake when the car unintentionally accelerated, which didn't work. Initial investigations by police on the vehicle's event data recorder indicated that the accelerator was pressed with "more than 90% force" just before the crash. Further investigations further contradicted the driver's claims including police not finding any skid marks at the crash scene, and surveillance camera footage showing that the secondary break light did not turn on during the crash. ^{[8] [9]} Investigators discovered that the car had been involved in six separate crash starting from the vehicle's registration date in 2018. ^[12] Rumors that the crash was caused by a fight between the driver and his wife were contradicted by CCTV footage from elevator and parking lot cameras at the Westin Chosun Hotel showing the couple walking normally after attending a 70th birthday party for the wife's older brother. ^[13]

Daeduk University automotive engineering professor Lee Ho-geun stated that it was very unlikely that the car was undergoing uncontrolled acceleration, since that would mean the car would continue accelerating until it was stopped by a structure, and posited that the driver could have inadvertently used the accelerator pedal while thinking it was the break pedal. ^[14]

Investigations also found that a complaint was filed in favor of implementing a traffic warning signal at the intersection due to several prior traffic crash involving vehicles going the wrong way on the one-way street after exiting the Westin Chosun Hotel or the Lotte Department Store, which was never implemented. Seoul police responded to the finding by stating that a traffic light stationed at the intersection was removed due causing severe traffic congestion. ^[15]

Aftermath

A makeshift memorial was set up at the location of the crash. ^[7] Numerous written letters to the victims and their families were left at the site to show solidarity and condolences. A lesser number of written letters also derided the driver involved with the tragedy, leaving comments such as "Cars are weapons, drivers are murderers, fine dust terrorists!" and “Sudden acceleration? Fuck!”. ^[16] Mourners also left several items at the memorial in tribute to the victims' hard work at their jobs, such as soju, coffee, cup ramen, "hangover cures", and other drinks and snacks. ^[17] First Lady of South Korea Kim Keon-hee visited the site in black attire without prior notice and with no bodyguards to lay a flower wreath at the memorial. ^[18] Another memorial was set up at the National Medical Center. On 3 July, a taxi crashed into the building, injuring three people. ^[19]

Psychology experts remarked on the potential onset of " psychological trauma" caused by the unpredictable and unclear nature of the crash, uncensored videos on social media showing the crash and immediate aftermath, and by the disaster occurring at an everyday and busy location residents can imagine themselves or loved ones being potential victims. ^[19]

A travel ban request initiated by police for the driver was rejected due to his hospitalization for fractured ribs and the unlikeliness of him trying to leave the country. ^[20]

Derogatory remarks

One message left at the memorial insulted the victims by comparing them to "tomato juice", which reporters stated "sparked nationwide furor" after images of the note spread online. The derisive message prompted an investigation by the Namdaemun Police Station for "defaming the deceased", punishable with up to two years in prison or a fine of 5 million won (US$3,600), causing the man who wrote the letter to turn himself in. ^{[7] [21]} Another woman who claimed to be friends with one of the victims wrote a letter at the memorial that reporters claimed was "derisive" and "inappropriately light-hearted". The woman was unable to name any of the victims when asked by a reporter. Police stated that the letter did not warrant an investigation in part due to it expressing compassion. ^[7] A man in his 40's was charged with defamation after leaving a written statement criticizing the deceased bank employees. ^[22]

Seoul police began an investigation into three incidents involving abusive statements posted to three internet communities. ^[23] Deleted messages posted on the women-exclusive internet forum Women's Era called the crash a “ bowling day,” in a derogatory manner while rejoicing from all the victims being men. ^[7] One of the posters on the forum called the driver a "derogatory slur for older men", and called the victims slurs used for Korean men, while another stated "I wish all Korean men would die like this". ^{[24] [25]} Another forum called Toodigal had several users saying similar messages celebrating and joking about the tragedy, prompting the website host to shut the forum down. ^[25]

Reactions

President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an emergency order to Interior Minister Lee Sang-min and the head of the fire authorities, directing them to prioritize efforts to rescue and treat the victims. ^[5]

Seoul's city government stated that it would initiate several safety measures to prevent future road tragedies, including strengthening guardrails, making driving tests for senior citizens aged 65 or older more rigorous, and initiating programs to get senior citizens to give up their driver's licenses willingly. ^[6]

Many South Korean lawyers argued that the potential maximum five-year sentence for the driver was too lenient, and that South Korea should adopt a system where individual charges are stacked for each person killed, similar to in the United States. ^[26]

References