A series of chain-reaction vehicle crashes occurred on roads across Korea on Saturday, including in Wonju in Gangwon Province and Ansan and Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, resulting in casualties.
According to police and fire authorities, six vehicles collided in succession at around 8:30 a.m. on an expressway in Saje-ri, Heungeop-myeon, Wonju, Gangwon Province. The crash injured 14 people who had been aboard the vehicles. Three of them sustained serious injuries and were transported to hospitals, while eight others received hospital treatment for minor injuries. The remaining three did not go to hospitals as their injuries were minor. Police believe the vehicles collided in succession after failing to brake in congested traffic, and are working to determine the exact cause and circumstances of the accident.
On the same day at around 11:17 a.m., another traffic accident occurred on a two-lane, one-way road inside the Samga Tunnel on the Second Metropolitan Circular Expressway toward Bongdam in Cheoin-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Four trucks collided in succession, and the driver in his 60s operating a 1-ton truck was severely injured and found in cardiac arrest. He was rushed to a nearby hospital by rescue workers but ultimately died. According to fire authorities, the accident began when a 1-ton truck rear-ended a 1.7-ton truck that had stopped due to congestion. Investigations showed that 2.2-ton and 3.5-ton trucks following behind then successively collided with the 1-ton truck. Police are investigating the circumstances of the accident, leaving open various possibilities including failure to watch the road ahead and drowsy driving.
At 4:44 p.m. the same day, a 14-vehicle chain-reaction crash occurred near the Ansan IC on the Yeongdong Expressway toward Gangneung in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. The accident began when three vehicles traveling in the first lane collided in a congested section. One vehicle behind them barely managed to stop, but five subsequent vehicles caused a secondary collision. Another vehicle following behind stopped normally, but six more trailing vehicles triggered a third collision. Three occupants reportedly complained of pain at the scene. No fatalities or serious injuries were reported.
