44-vehicle pileup in Pocheon blamed on 'black ice'

Some 40 vehicles collided on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway at around 9:10 p.m. on Sunday. [YONHAP]

At least 44 cars collided on an icy highway in Pocheon, Gyeonggi, on Sunday night, killing one person.

The accident occurred on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway at around 9:10 p.m. on Sunday, also leading to three injuries. The victims were all in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

"Black ice" was the apparent cause. A heavy snow warning and a cold wave advisory had been issued in the area of Pocheon on Sunday.

Black ice refers to a thin coat of transparent ice that allows the black road below to be seen, making it invisible. It can form in shadowy places such as entrances and exits of tunnels and areas not affected by ground heat such as bridges.

According to the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency Monday, a sport utility vehicle (SUV) skidded on the highway causing all cars behind it to crash into each other and some to run into guardrails.

A woman in her 40s, who was sitting in a passenger seat, was transferred to a hospital and eventually died. Three men remain in critical condition.

At least 33 people were injured.

The pileup occurred after the SUV abruptly slowed down after skidding from the passing lane to the right lane.

Around two hours prior to the accident on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway, 14 vehicles, including cargo trucks, crashed into each other and injured three on a road in Pocheon.

Slippery roads, mostly caused by black ice, are often the cause of major car accidents. Around 2.47 out of 100 car accidents due to icy roads led to deaths, according to the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoRoad).

Heavy snowfall over the weekend in Gangwon caused at least 40 car accidents, according to the fire department.

Up to 60 centimeters (24 inches) of snow fell in the mountainous region of Gangwon on Sunday but stopped in most parts of the region on Monday morning.

Snow is expected to fall in parts of Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon and parts of Gangwon on Tuesday night, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) Monday. Temperatures below zero degrees Celsius are likely to continue until the Lunar New Year holiday which runs from Jan. 21 through 24.

Parts of Gyeonggi, Gangwon and Chungcheong are likely to see some snow on Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday morning, Seoul’s morning low will dip to minus 7 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit). The freezing temperatures are likely to continue in central inland regions and parts of Gangwon to as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, CHON KWON-PIL [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]