A driver in his 60s is set to face a court hearing on September 21 following a tragic incident at a flea market in Anseong, South Korea, where a one-ton truck crashed, resulting in seven casualties.
According to the Anseong Police Station, the Suwon District Court's Pyeongtaek branch will conduct a pre-arrest interrogation for the driver, identified as A, at 11 a.m. on September 21. The court is expected to decide on the issuance of an arrest warrant later that afternoon.
A is accused of driving his truck into a flea market event in front of the Gongdo Library in Gongdo-eup, Anseong, at 11:18 a.m. on September 19, killing two individuals—a woman in her 40s and a teenager—and injuring five others.
Employed as a contract worker by the Anseong City Hall, A initially told police that he mistook the accelerator for the brake. However, he later changed his statement, claiming that the vehicle experienced sudden acceleration.
In response, police have requested a detailed examination of the vehicle from the National Forensic Service to investigate the possibility of sudden acceleration.
The deceased woman was a member of the Anseong Sustainable Development Council and had volunteered at local green markets with her children for the past four to five years.
A council member present at the scene expressed grief over the loss, stating, "The deceased was a middle school boy who might have felt embarrassed to volunteer with his mother, but he always helped her with his siblings. Good people left us too soon. It was a horrific event that happened in an instant."
Friends of the deceased, dressed in school uniforms, visited the mourning site with their parents to pay their respects, recalling him as a caring friend who looked after others.
The council and the Anseong Volunteer Center plan to establish a public memorial space at Naehye Hall Plaza in Anseong from September 21 to 23 to honor the victims.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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