Seoul to improve road safety in wake of deadly accident near City Hall

Police and officials from the National Forensic Service examine the guardrails on the road in Jung District, central Seoul, on Thursday, where the accident that killed nine people occurred on Monday. [NEWS1]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it would implement measures to enhance road safety, such as installing more durable guardrails on sidewalks and traffic signs in response to the recent accident that killed nine people on Monday.

A city government official quoted in local media reports on Wednesday said that the guardrails will be reinforced to better protect pedestrians.

The official explained that the guardrails on the road where the accident occurred were initially installed to separate the street from the sidewalk and prevent pedestrians from crossing. The speed limit on the road is 30 kilometers per hour, and the guardrails were installed according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s guidelines.

The mishap ensued when a 68-year-old driver of a black Genesis car drove the wrong way for about 200 meters (656 feet) before crashing into guardrails and pedestrians near City Hall Station in Jung District, central Seoul, at around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

The impact destroyed the steel guardrails at the site.

The city is assessing how robust the guardrails should be to prevent such accidents. According to the law, guardrails in Korea are classified into two main types: those for cars and those for pedestrians. Car guardrails are much more durable and installed on roads like highways.

On Thursday, the Seoul city government announced plans to improve and add more traffic signs to improve driver recognition during day and night.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also instructed officials to inspect one-way roads in the capital and to make prompt improvements if needed, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

As Oh visited the memorial altar of a city government official who died in the accident on Tuesday, he suggested that the incident could prompt a discussion on extending licenses for senior drivers.

According to the Korea Road Traffic Authority, the number of accidents involving senior drivers has consistently risen over the past three years, peaking last year at 39,614. Such accidents accounted for 20 percent of all traffic accidents, up from 17.6 percent the previous year.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]