Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
100 injured in 7-vehicle collision
By Kwon Mee-yoo
A seven-vehicle rear-end collision involving trucks, tour buses and a road repair vehicle occurred on Gyeongbu Expressway Thursday, injuring about 100 people.
The accident happened on the southbound lane of the expressway near Ulsan, some 48 kilometers north of Busan. The expressway is the nation’s backbone connecting Seoul and Busan.
The first collision occurred as a truck slowed down to avoid hitting a road repair vehicle and buses hit it from behind, creating a four-car pile-up. Police said three more trucks and buses collided in the next lane, as they tried to avoid the initial accident.
Two bus passengers were seriously injured, while others were slightly hurt. They were immediately taken to nearby hospitals.
The police said most passengers had fastened their safety belts preventing more casualties.
The passengers were members of a women’s fraternity in Daegu, on their way to an excursion to the Tongdo Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province.
“I bumped my head against the front seat when the bus collided with another bus. I was scared of fire as oil leaked out of the vehicle,” Jang, 77, who was among the injured, said.
The pile-up caused serious congestion on the highway on both the north and southbound lanes. The police said they are investigating the exact cause of the accident.