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South Korean emergency officials said nine people were killed and four injured when a car hit pedestrians waiting at a traffic light in central Seoul on Monday evening. Media reports said the passenger car drove in the wrong direction and collided with two other cars just before hitting the pedestrians.
The driver of the car (60) has been detained, reports said. However, Seoul police did not immediately confirm the reports. Emergency official Kim Chun-su told a briefing that one of the four injured was in critical condition.
The car was driving on the wrong side
President Yun Suk Yeol ordered his security minister and emergency agency chief to make best efforts to help the victims. Seoul police said they were investigating the incident and the number of casualties could rise. Local media reported that the car was driving on the wrong side and had already collided with two vehicles before crushing the pedestrians.
9 people died
Police said the accident occurred at an intersection near Seoul City Hall. The driver, who was arrested at the scene, reportedly told police that the car had suddenly accelerated. Six people died on the spot, while three died later in hospital.
Car driver investigated
The speed limit on normal urban roads in South Korea is 50 km/h (31 mph) and 30 km/h in residential areas. Kim Seong-hak, a public safety officer in the Jung-gu district of central Seoul, said police were investigating the car driver. Police are also investigating whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
