According to police authorities, the accident occurred at an intersection near City Hall in the capital at around 9:27 p.m. Witnesses said the vehicle was driving in the wrong direction on a one-way, four-lane street, and lost control and suddenly started accelerating after colliding with two oncoming vehicles and plowed into pedestrians waiting for a traffic signal on the sidewalk.
Police arrested the driver, a man in his late 60s at the scene. He was with his wife and reportedly blamed a car malfunction, claiming it caused unintended acceleration. Initial investigations indicated that he was not driving under the influence. He reportedly insisted that he was a skilled bus driver with 40 years of driving experience.
The incident occurred in a busy commercial district of the capital, resulting in a high number of casualties.
Of the nine fatalities, six died at the scene, while three were pronounced dead upon arrival in hospital. Four people were hospitalized and two suffered minor injuries. All victims were men in their 30s to 50s including two city officials.
President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min to "do everything possible to rescue and treat the victims."
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
